PATENT

3544. ----- [STANDARD OIL CO.]  Recovery of Fatty acids From dilute Aqueous Solution.  British Patent 658,458, Sept. 12, 1949.  British Abs., B, II, 1952, p. 6.

Fatty acids found in low concentration in the aqueous layer resulting from hydrocarbon synthesis reactions can be recovered by treating the dilute acid solution with a Bi compound (Bi₂O₃) to form Bi salts of the fatty acids, separating the salts, and regenerating the fatty acids from the salts by treating the precipitate with steam, H₂SO₄ or SO₃.  The process used for recovering AcOH consists of feeding the aqueous solution into the lower portion of a reactor containing Bi₂O₃ such that the point of entry is < the level of the oxide.  A colloidal suspension of BiOAc is formed  which overflows from the reactor zone and is coagulated with an electrolyte and then treated with H₂SO₄ to regenerate the AcOH.