Continuous esterification process

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AN ESTER WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A MIXTURE OF A MONOHYDRIC ALCOHOL AND AN ORGANIC REAGENT TOGETHER WITH AN ESTERIFICATION CATALYST CONCURRENTLY THROUGH A SERIES OF CONSECUTIVE REACTION ZONES OF WHICH AT LEAST THREE ARE SEPARATELY HEATED, SAID REAGENT BEING SUFFICIENTLY NON-VOLATILE TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE HYDROXY COMPOUND PRODUCED BY THE ESTERIFICATION OF THE ALCOHOL WITH THE REAGENT WITHOUT REMOVAL OF SAID REAGENT, SAID REAGENT BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACIDS, ACID ANHYDRIDES, ACID ESTERS AND NEUTRAL ESTERS OF RELATIVELY VOLATILE ALCOHOLS, INTRODUCING FRESH ENTRAINER INTO SAID MIXTURE IN EACH OF SAID HEATED ZONES AND VOLATILLIZING AND REMOVING SAID HYDROXY COMPOUND AND ENTRAINER FROM EACH REACTION ZONE WITHOUT PASSING THE VAPOUR THEREOF THROUGH THE LIQUID REACTION MIXTURE IN ANY OTHER REACTION ZONE.