Polyglycerol esters: Optimization and techno-economic evaluation

Optimization of the two-step reaction for preparation of polygly-cerol esters of fatty acids from the industrial point of view has been studied. Parameters such as nature of the alkaline catalyst, tempera-ture and time of the reaction have been examined. It was found that the polymerization process needs 260-280 C in the presence of inert gas and 2.5 mol % of NaOH as catalyst. The esterification can be accomplished in the absence of additional catalyst and temperatures as low as 230 C. A simulation model of a chemical plant has been used for evaluation of cost of the production of such emulsifiers.