| abstract |
The invention relates to a method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters by transesterification, especially catalytic transesterification, of a mixture of triglycerides and fatty acids. According to the inventive method, an ester phase containing fatty acid alkyl esters and a glycerol phase containing fatty acids is produced from a reaction mixture in which the transesterification is carried out. The two phases are separated from each other and the fatty acids from the glycerol phase are removed, thereby producing a fatty acid phase that contains fatty acids which are esterified with an alcohol. The inventive method is further characterized in that the fatty acid phase is mixed with an additional mixture of triglycerides and fatty acids and the fatty acids contained in the mixture so obtained are esterified with an alcohol, thereby obtaining an esterification mixture that contains triglycerides and fatty acid alkyl esters. Said esterification mixture is then transesterified with alcohol to give further fatty acid alkyl esters. |