Electrolytic production of fatty

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A FREE FATTY ACID OF FORMULA R.COOH, WHERE R IS AN ALKYL GROUP CONTAINING FROM 1 TO 3 CARBON ATOMS, FROM AN ALKALI METAL SALT THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES ELECTROLYZING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF THE SALT OF 5% TO 50% CONCENTRATION WHILE PREVENTING ADMIXTURE OF THE ANOLYTE AND CATHOLYTE, THE ELECTROLYSIS BEING CONDUCTED AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 80* C. AND ABOUT 95* C. WHILE MAINTAINING THE ANODE CURRENT DENSITY BETWEEN ABOUT 1.5 AND 2.5 AMPS. PER SQUARE DECIMETER AND, BEFORE ELECTROLYSIS HAS PROCEEDED SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND THE STAGE WHERE THE ANOLYTE CONTAINS ONE MOLECULE OF FATTY ACID FOR EACH INITIAL TWO MOLECULES OF FATTY ACID ALKALI METAL SALT IN THE FORM OF THE ACID ALKALI METAL SALT, REMOVING ANOLYTE AND RECOVERING FATTY ACID BY DECOMPOSITION OF THE ACID ALKALI METAL SALT.