Abstract: In a process for producing fatty acid esters, a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture is subjected to esterification with a lower alkanol in an esterification reactor maintained under esterification conditions to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl ester(s). An overhead stream comprising unreacted lower alkanol, water and a heavy organic content of one or more of lower alkyl ester and/or acids is recovered from the reactor. The overhead stream is subjected to distillation in a first distillation column to separate a portion of the lower alkanol from a stream comprising the water, the remaining lower alkanol and the heavy organic content. This stream is recovered and subjected to distillation in a second distillation column to provide an overhead stream comprising lower alkanol and at least a major portion of the heavy organic content and a water stream having a reduced heavy organic and alkanol content.

Abstract: A process for the production of fatty acid esters comprising; (a) subjecting a fatty acid or fatty acid mixture to esterification with a lower alkanol in an esterification reactor maintained under esterification conditions to form a stream comprising the corresponding lower alkyl ester or esters and recovering same; (b) recovering an overhead stream from the esterification reactor comprising unreacted lower alkanol, water, and a heavy organic content comprising one or more of lower alkyl ester and/or acids; (c) subjecting the recovered overhead stream to distillation in a first distillation column operating under first distillation conditions to separate a portion of the lower alkanol from a stream comprising the water, the remaining lower alkanol and the heavy organic content; (d) recovering the stream comprising the water, the remaining lower alkanol and the heavy organic content; and (e) subjecting the stream comprising the water, the remaining lower alkanol and the heavy organic content to distillation in