ITEM NO. 22 
COPY NO. 
FILE NO. XXVI-50 
PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC FATTY ACIDS 
AND EDIBLE FATS 
DEUTSCHE FETTSAUREWERKE, WITTEN 
COMBINED INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES 
SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT ON 
PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC FATTY ACIDS 
AND EDIBLE FATS 
DEUTSCHE PETT3AUREWERKS AND MARK13CHE 
3EIFENFABRIK 
WITTEN (RUHR) GERMANY. 
Reported By 
E.L.BALDESCHWIELER, U.S. 
on behalf of the 
U.S. Technical Industrial Intelligence Committee 
CIOS Target No. 22A59 
Miscellaneous Chemicals 
28 June 19^5 
COMBINED INTELLIGENCE 0BJECTIVE3 SUB-COMMITTEE 
6-2 Division, 3HAEP (Rear) APO 4lJ TAbJjii OF CONTENTS. 
SUBJECT 
PAGE NO. 
Location 3 
Personnel Interviewed 3 
Plant Personnel 3 
Production S 
Bomb Damage 4 
Process *. 4 
Additional Explanations 5 
Soap Plant 6 
Research Work 7 
Documents 7 
Priority of Assessment. 7 
Schedule of Samples Obtained 7 
Flow Sheet No. 1 - Fatty Acids & 
Flow Sheet No. 2 - Production of Edible Fats 9 
Personnel of Team: 
Dr. G. C. Hall, British Ministry of Fuel and 
Power. 
Dr. E.L.Baldeschwieler, U.S. Petroleum Administration 
for War. 
Dr.yG. von Elbe, U.S. Department of the 
interior, Bureau of Mines. 
2 production op synthetic 
PATTY 'ACIDS AND EDIBLE PATS. 
iiocatlon: The plants visited on 24 April 1945 are owned by 
tne Deutsche Fettsatirewerke and its subsidiary the Markiscne 
Seifenfabrik. The two plants are located at Witten, Ruhr, 
ana are on opposite sides of the road. 
Personnel interviewed; The plant is owned by Mr. Imhauser 
wno was present with his son. Dr. A. Imhauser, chief chemist, 
also the chief analyst. Dr. DOpke. All parties seemed to be 
not only very willing, but rather anxious to furnish inform- 
ation. Dr. Imhauser explained that he was half Jewish and 
that both he and his father were In constant threat of death 
oy the Nazis. Were it not for the fact that the plant was 
an important producer of edible fats, both men would have 
been sent to concentration camps early in the year. A Nazi 
director had been appointed over their heads and was in com- 
plete charge so that the Imhausers were only employees in 
their own plants. 
Pxant Personnel: The oxidation plant occupied 180 people, 
and the soap plant 400. these included 90 foreign laborers 
oi whom 60 were Russian, to French and 10 Dutch. Much of 
the personnel was apparently still working and this includ- 
ed some of the Russians. The Nazi director had disappeared. 
Production: The raw material is the wax or so-called 
ngatsch” from various Fischer-Tropsch plants, primarily from 
the Chemische Werke Essener. Steinkohle A.G* et Kamen- 
Dortmund. The plant was designed for and produced 40,000 
tons per year of fatty acids by oxidation of the gatsch. For 
the last year, the capacity was cut down to 20,000 tons, 
mostly due to lack of raw material caused by bombing of the 
Fischer-Tropsch units. A certain proportion of these fatty 
acids were used in the manufacture of edible fats, a total 
of 150 tons per month being produced. A sample of the fat 
has been obtained. Appearance and taste are very similar 
to oleomargarine. 
Two other similar plants have been built by the l.G. 
Farbenindustrie in Germany, one at Heidebreck, Upper Silesia, 
and the other at Oppau. Each had a designed capacity of 
£0,000 tons, fatty acids per year. A fourth is under con- 
struction at Magdeburg for the Hubbe and Fahrenholz Fabrik. Tnis plant is designed to operate at 25 atm. pressure but 
nas never been operated. The elder Imhauser claims that 
this process is six times more expensive than that used in 
his plant. 
Bomb Damage; Outside of broken windows in the office build- 
ing and some damage to the shop, analytical laboratory and 
research pilot plant, the oxidation works appeared little 
damaged. The main building of the soap plant was, however, 
naif destroyed. 
Process: Two flow sheets are attached: No. 1 for the oxida- 
tion plant or manufacture of the fatty acids, and No. 2 
xor the manufacture of the edible fats. As indicated in 
flow sheet No. 1, the fatty acids to be used in the manu- 
facture of edible fats are made by the same process as 
the other fatty acids, up to the pipe still step. At 
this stage, the distillation is carried out at 520°C. for 
ordinary fatty acids and at 580°C. for the edible acids. 
The properties of the acids are given in Table I. 
TABLE I. 
Light Fraction. Main Fraction. 
Heavy Fraction. 
Hesidue. 
(Vorlauf) 
(Hauptlsuf) 
(Nachlauf} 
(Hackstand) 
(up to; 
Temp. nCn ( 120 
120-270 
870-216 
- 
Yields % 15-20 
55-60 
7-12 
7-13 
Mol.Wt. C8-C10 
C10-C20 
C21-C28 
— 
Neut.No. 450-460 
245 
155-160 
80-30 
Sap.No. 450-460 
255 
175-180 
110-120 
Estn.No. 0-1 
10 
20 
so 
Ester no.for 
1.5 
10 
— 
Edible Fats 
U.S.M. % 0 
1.5 
10.0 
— 
for 
Edible Fats 
Ca.l 
- 
Total yields of fatty acids 80% of the charge to the still. 
Neutralization, Saponification and Ester Numbers are 
expressed in milligram of Potassium hydroxide per gram of 
sample. 
4 A carbon balance based on the analysis of the 
original sample is very difficult to obtain due to the 
fact that COg escapes during the oxidation together 
with the volatile fatty acids, about 10-15% of the carbon 
being thus lost. There is also an additional loss of 1-2% 
in raw fatty acids during the distillation. 
Additional explanations: 
(1) The oxidation of the gatsch is carried out in alum- 
inum vessels provided with an alloy steel head. There are 
12 vessels, each of 20 tons capacity, and 24 vessels of 
10 tons capacity. Eight of the latter are made entirely 
of alloy steel (chrome-nickel), but these are not as satis- 
factory as the aluminum vessels since this metal cata- 
lyzes the oxidation reaction. Alloy steel heads are 
necessary, however, since aluminum is corroded by the 
molecular weight volatile fatty acids. The 20-ton 
vessels are are 9 meters high and 2.7 meters interior 
diameter. Each vessel is provided with an air distri- 
butor, a bottom dished coil for heating and a middle coil 
for cooling, the oxidation reaction being exothermic. Tut 
air distributor and pipes are made of chrome-nickel steel. 
The air distributor has a diameter of 1.2 m., the top 
being provided with 1 mm. holes and the bottom with 3 or 
4 large holes. Such a vessel is shown diagrammatically 
in the attached drawing. The oxidation is only carried on 
until about 30% of the gatsch has been oxidized, since 
experience has shown that further oxidation results in 
the formation of undesirable products such as ketones. 
(2) The low molecular weight or volatile acids are con- 
densed, absorbed in water and separated into two layers. 
The lower layer consists of an aqueous solution of formic , 
acetic and some propionic acids, the upper layer being a 
mixture of C5-C10 acids. The formic acid is used for uhe 
treatment of fodder silos and the acetic acid for the 
esterification of cellulose. The water-insoluble acids 
are sold for the manufacture ®f plasticizers, perfumes exc. 
(3) The wash towers are 11 m. high and are provided 
with Jena glass lines to prevent corrosion by the water- 
soluble acids. 
The saponification is carried out by adding the 
calculated amount of 38% MaoH. The reaction products 
separate into layers, •‘•he upper layer shown in jflow 
Sheet ho. 1 as USM(A) amounting to 30% consists of un- 
reacted gatsch and is returned to the oxidation vessel. The lower layer Is an emulsion containing 20% soap and 
20% gatsch which is led into an autoclave and heated lor 
one hour at 170-180°C. and 25 atmospheres pressure. 
This treatment causes a further separation of 
gatsch, USM(2) which is returned to the oxidation vessel 
and a lower layer of soap solution containing 45% soap 
and 15% gatsch. The soap solution is then fed to a pipe 
still heated by gas at 320°C. for soap acids and 280°C. 
for edible acids when the water and remaining gatsch are 
driven off. The gatsch, USM(C) is recycled. The anhydrous 
soap is then run directly into water to form a 40% sol- 
ution and the fatty acids liberated by addition of sulfuric 
acid. This reaction is carried out at 9o-95°C. 
(4) The vacuum distillation of the liberated fatty 
acids is carried out in four stages corresponding to the 
four cuts. The first stage (vorlauf or light fraction) is 
provided with a fractionating column. The next two stages 
are in parallel (hauptlauf or main fraction), and uie last 
stage is for the heavy fraction (jnachlauf), the residue 
(ruckstand) being collected from the kettle or the last 
stage. 
The distillation is carried out in the presence of 
5% of steam; the total steam consumption, including tne 
vacuum steam injectors, is approximately equal to the 
weight of acids treated. 
{5) 1he raw material for edible fat manufacture is a 
purified middle fraction from the vacuum still consisting 
of a mixture of Cg-Cgo acids. These acids are esterified 
with glycerine under the conditions indicated in the flow 
sheet to form a triglyceride. The remainder of the pro- 
cess consists of the purification of this glyceride which 
is finally sold as food after the addition of vitamins. 
This last operation is, however, carried out elsewhere. 
ihis plant was large, airy and the walls covered 
with white tile for easy washing. With the exception of 
broken windows, it was virtually undamaged. 
Soap Plants As previously stated, this plant was badly 
damaged. The mixing kettles were of 100-ton capacity ana 
it was evident that soap manufactures had been carried out 
on a large scale. The elder imhauser admitted that even with only 30% soap in the final product, they had not 
succeeded in removing the characteristic Fischer-Tropsch 
odor when washing hands. This odor is appsrently due 
to a slight hydrolysis of the soap, and the odor is rem- 
iniscent of butyric acid. A sample of the pure soap has 
been obtained. (Toilet soap containing 30% of syn.acids;. 
research Work: A fair amount of research work was carried 
out in a pilot plant provided with a 24 plate vacuum 
column operated at 1 mm. pressure. Pure alcohol and fatty 
acids from C4 and Cu have been separated and samples of 
octyl, nonyl, decyl, hexyl and undecyl alcohols, also 
caprylic, valerianic, nonylic and oenanthylic acids were 
exhibited. It was pointed out that the Fischer-Tropsch 
gatsch oxidation process provides the only industrial 
source of these products. 
Documents: No documents were found, outside of a few 
analytical records which substantiated the statements out- 
lined above. Consequently, no documents have been col- 
lected. The personnel interviewed claimed that all draw- 
ings and records had been burned. 
Priority of Assessment: Since full statements were made by 
the persons interviewed and, moreover, since many of these 
statements check with those made by Dr, Ketlnecke (CIOS 
report 12 on I.G.Production of Synthetic Fatty Acids), it 
is recommended that no’further investigation of this target 
be carried out. 
Schedule of Samples Obtained; 
1. Synthetic fat as prepared for sale. 
2. Toilet soap containing 50% synthetic acids. 
3. Crude fatty acids before vac. dist. 
4. Main products of distilled acids prepared 
for soap manufacture. 
E. L. BALDESCHWIELEK. Deutsche Fettsatire Y^erke 
ACM 
Manufacture. 
Fischer-Tropsch Gatsch (320°-450°C) 
Centrifuge (to remove catalyst dust) 
Oxidation Vessel (Charge 8-20 tons pxus 
0.2% KMn04 in 15% aqueous 
solution. 110°C. 50 air/ 
hr/ton wax. Time 20-24 hrs. 
1 part fresh gatsch to l.b 
usm; . 
(Volatile \ 
(Hau, CUgplus j 
(a)(light oil plusj 
(low mol. wt. ) 
(acids. ) 
(3) Count.Cur.Hot Water 2-3% water soluble 
Wash. 
Legend. 
+ Nap CO* 
(Neutralization) 
(USM 
(Unsaponifiable material 
(1)(2)(3)(4). Kerex uu 
additional explanations 
in the text. 
Saponification 
Calc.Amt.38% NaoH. 
USM (A) I 
Soap Solution to Autoclave 
1 hr.25 atm. 170-18QOC. 
Continuous 
-USM (B) I 
Soap Solution to continuous 
Pipe Still.atm.press.(Gas heated) 
/ (320°C. soap acids) 
/ (38o°C. edible acids) 
water plus 
USM (C) 
(Volatile) 
Anhydrous Soap 
Kun direct into water 
to give 40% solution. 
h2so4 
water Wasn 
(for scraps9 Neut. no.360- 
370; Ester No, 10; Sap. 
No.360-380) 
Crude acids 
(for edible fats,Neut.No. 
380; Sap.no.362; Ester 
No. 2). 
Vacuum fractionation 
(4) 3-4 mm. 5% steam 
8 (4) Vacuum Fractionation 
3-4 mm. 5% steam. 
i 
Light Fraction. 
(Vorlauf) 
Main Fraction. 
(Hauptlauf) 
Heavy fraction. 
(Nachlauf) 
Kesidue. 
(Ruckstand) 
<120°C. 
Up to Cq-C]_q 
15-20% 
55-60% 
270°-3X5°C. 
Cgl-C§8 
7-12% 
7-13% 
Flow Sheet No. 2 
Production of Edible Fats. 
Middle Fraction Cs-Qgo 
(3-4% excess acid to form 
(a triglyceride. 
(g mm. pressure, 0.2% 
(metallic tin at 200°C. 
Glycerine 
Wash with acid 
to remove 
catalyst. 
• ; 
Wash with alkali 
to remove acid. 
Treat with active charcoal 
& bleaching earth + filter 
pressing. 
Steamed, 200°C. 2 mm. pressure. 
Emulsification with 20% water. 
Chilling. 
Milling. 
Sold for 
vitamin addition* 
9 Outlet for spent 
“AIR AND VOLATILE 
PRODUCTS. 
Alloy steel head. 
Aluminium Body. 
Water coolino 
Coil. 
9m. 
Air Inlet 
Steam Heatinq- 
Coil. 
Alloy Steel / 
AIR DISTRIBUTOR. 
Outlet, 
20ton Kettle for Wax oxidation . 
Deutsche Fettsaure Werke,Witten. 
A4878 Fosh & Cross Ltd., London