Method for enzymatic splitting of oils and fats

US6933139B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• T+T Oleochemie GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Karlheinz Brunner · Großkrotzenburg, DE
• Rainer Frische · Frankfurt, DE
• Dirk Kilian · Maintal, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 11, 2002
• Grant date: Aug 23, 2005
• Expiry date: Feb 28, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12P7/6445
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Method for the enzymatic splitting of oils and fats for obtaining fatty acids and glycerol by using lipases being added to a mixture containing an oil or fat and water, wherein the splitting reaction is performed only up to a splitting degree at which slowing-down of the splitting reaction is still below a preset value using discontinuously operated loop reactors, wherein the fatty acids to be obtained are separated from the reaction mixture that is only partially split, by first separating an aqueous glycerol-containing phase from a partially split organic phase containing split fatty acids, in a self-cleaning centrifugal separator and, afterwards, the fatty acids are separated from the partially split organic phase and the residue of the organic phase freed from the free fatty acids is fed back into the splitting process.