Ester-hydrogenation technology refers to the production of fatty alcohol and methanol through hydrogenation of fatty acid methyl ester.

Fatty alcohols are the main raw materials for the synthesis of alcohols series surfactants. The relatively important methods of producing fatty alcohols are : ester hydrogenation method, Ziegler process and carbonyl synthesis. Among them, Ziegler's method is based on ethylene which acted with aluminium trialkyl ,then obtain alfol compound through chain growth and oxidation,and fatty alcohols were obtained by hydrolysis, neutralization and fractionation. The catalyst trialkyl aluminum is expensive,and produce a large amount of solid waste, wast water and the cost is high;

Carbonyl synthesis is to synthesize alkene, carbon monoxide and hydrogen under catalyst and pressure condition to from aldehyde, then through hydrogenation to from aliphatic alcohol, Carbonyl rhodium phosphine complex is generally used as catalyst, its production is complex ,very expensive and the cost is high. Ester-hydrogenation method is divided into high pressure hydrogenation method and medium pressure hydrogenation method, Domestic technology is generally high pressure method, pressure up to 20-25Mpa, Investment and operating costs are huge . The medium pressure method is basically monopolized by David Company in the UK, and the transfer cost in China is very high.

1， Adaptable raw materialFatty

acid methyl ester or biodiesel

2，Physicochemical properties of catalysts

3，Process conditions

4，Process characteristics

5，Technique flow chart

It is the first time to adopt medium pressure hydrogenation process in China, Lower investment and operating costs; The unreacted methyl ester was cycled by a special wax esterification process, and avoid the difficulty of methyl ester and alcohol separation.