Method of controlling the amount of used catalyst to be recycled to a hydrogenation reactor, used to produce fatty alcohols from fatty acids, or their derivatives

摘要

Fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives as well as hydrogen, fresh catalyst and a dispersion which contains used catalyst are supplied to the hydrogenating means, which are operated at temperatures in the range from 100 DEG to 400 DEG C. and under pressures in the range from 20 to 400 bars to produce a product stream, which contains fatty alcohols and used catalyst. A part of the product stream is circulated. A first partial stream Is withdrawn at a controllable rate from the circulating stream and is passed through a separator. A product which is rich in fatty alcohol and a dispersion which contains used catalyst are separately delivered by the separator. The dispersion is recycled to the hydrogenating means. A second partial stream is withdrawn at a controllable rate from the circulating product stream. Used catalyst is separated from the second partial stream and is removed from the process. The rate at which used catalyst is fed to the hydrogenating means can be increased in that the rate of the second partial stream is decreased.