| abstract |
A method for producing diesel grade fuel of plant origin by transesterifying a refined vegetable oil with a charge of a C1-C4 alcohol in the presence of a catalyst and at least 0.2 parts by volume, related to unit volume of refined vegetable oil, of an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent with a boiling point of -42°C to 200°C, comprises mixing the oil, alcohol, catalyst and solvent in a single reaction vessel under homogeneous conditions which promote transesterif ication to 95-98% completion and which suppress reverse glycerolysis, without stopping transesterif ication to remove by- product polar glycerol, and without subjecting the oil/fuel mixture to a further transesterif ication step with a fresh charge of alcohol and catalyst. |