Abstract: A continuous separation of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from glycerol in a low pressure dry transesterification process for vegetable oil is provided. Improved purity of the FAME and the glycerol fractions are achieved via the use of continuous decantation so as to thereby eliminate the need for a water wash step for the FAME fraction. Excess methanol from the FAME and the glycerol fractions is readily recovered in a dry vacuum extraction process. Water which has been inadvertently introduced into the process is removed from the recovered excess methanol by desiccant columns equipped with molecular sieves instead of the traditional energy and capital intensive fractionation processes practiced for this purpose.

Abstract: Triglycerides, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, are esterified with alcohols to produce alcohol esters which can be used as alternative fuel sources. By-products of the transesterification reaction are stripped from the effluent of the transesterification reactor using a recovery alcohol that can be an isolated by-product of the transesterification reaction.