Biodiesel production method and apparatus

1. A method for producing a biodiesel material, the method comprising:

conducting an esterification reaction by contacting a feed comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid, a fatty acid derivative, and combinations thereof, with at least one monohydric alcohol in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst, whereby a reaction mixture comprising at least one ester of the fatty acid and the monohydric alcohol is obtained;

subjecting at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a first electrodialysis step, whereby a stream rich in the homogeneous catalyst and a stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst are obtained, wherein the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst is subjected to further processing to yield a biodiesel material; and

recycling at least a portion of the stream rich in the homogeneous catalyst to the esterification reaction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is a soap.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed comprises an ester of at least one fatty acid and glycerin.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed comprises at least one free fatty acid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monohydric alcohol is a C 1-6 monohydric alcohol.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the homogeneous catalyst is a basic homogeneous catalyst.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the homogeneous catalyst is an acidic homogeneous catalyst.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of removing from the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst at least a portion of the monohydric alcohol present, whereby a stream depleted in homogeneous catalyst and monohydric alcohol is obtained.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of removing from the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst at least a portion of the monohydric alcohol present is conducted if a weight ratio of homogeneous catalyst in the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst to homogeneous catalyst in the reaction mixture is less than or equal to about 30 wt. %.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the alcohol is removed by evaporation.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the stream depleted in homogeneous catalyst and monohydric alcohol comprises glycerol and monoalkyl ester, the method further comprising:

separating the stream depleted in homogeneous catalyst and monohydric alcohol into a phase rich in glycerol and a phase depleted in glycerol; and

subjecting the phase depleted in glycerol to a purification step, whereby a purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester is obtained.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the purification step comprises a second electrodialysis step followed by an ionic exchange resin treatment step.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the ionic exchange resin treatment step is conducted in an ionic exchange resin bed.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the purification step comprises a water-wash process.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stream depleted in homogeneous catalyst and monohydric alcohol comprises glycerol and monoalkyl ester, the method further comprising separating the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst into a phase rich in glycerol and a phase depleted in glycerol.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of separating the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst into a phase rich in glycerol and a phase depleted in glycerol is conducted if a weight ratio of homogeneous catalyst in the stream depleted in the homogeneous catalyst to homogeneous catalyst in the reaction mixture is more than or equal to about 10 wt. %.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein separating is by density.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising subjecting the phase depleted in glycerol to a purification step, whereby a purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester is obtained.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the purification step comprises a second electrodialysis step followed by an ionic exchange resin purification step and an alcohol removal step.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the ionic exchange resin purification step is conducted in an ionic exchange resin bed, and wherein the alcohol removal step follows the ionic exchange resin purification step.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the purification step comprises an alcohol removal step followed by a water-wash process.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reacted mixture comprises glycerol, further comprising separating the reaction mixture comprising at least one ester of the fatty acid and the monohydric alcohol into a portion rich in glycerol and a portion depleted in glycerol, and subjecting the portion depleted in glycerol to the first electrodialysis step.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein separating is by density.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising subjecting the stream depleted in homogeneous catalyst to a purification step, whereby a purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester is obtained.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the purification step comprises exposure to an ionic exchange resin bed followed by an alcohol removal step.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the purification step comprises an alcohol removal step followed by a water-wash process.

27. The method of claim 12 , wherein the ion exchange resin comprises a hydrogen form cationic resin.

28. The method of claim 11 , wherein the purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester contains at least about 98 wt. % monoalkyl ester.

29. The method of claim 18 , wherein the purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester contains at least about 98 wt. % monoalkyl ester.

30. The method of claim 24 , wherein the purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester contains at least about 98 wt. % monoalkyl ester.

31. The method of claim 11 , wherein the purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester contains less than about 1 wt. % glycerol and less than about 0.5 wt. % sulfated ash as determined by ASTM D874.

32. The method of claim 18 , wherein the purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester contains less than about 1 wt. % glycerol and less than about 0.5 wt. % sulfated ash as determined by ASTM D874.

33. The method of claim 24 , wherein the purified stream comprising at least one monoalkyl ester contains less than about 1 wt. % glycerol and less than about 0.5 wt. % sulfated ash as determined by ASTM D874.