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Rapid Screening of an Acid‐Catalyzed Triglyceride Transesterification in a Mesoscale Reactor
Author(s) -
Al-Saadi Luma Shihab,
Alegría Alexandra,
Eze Valentine C.,
Harvey Adam P.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201800203
Subject(s) - transesterification , triglyceride , methanol , biodiesel , catalysis , raw material , molar ratio , space velocity , fatty acid methyl ester , chemistry , organic chemistry , biodiesel production , fatty acid , chromatography , biochemistry , cholesterol , selectivity
Abstract A mesoscale oscillatory baffled reactor (meso‐OBR) served as a continuous screening platform to rapidly investigate the operating conditions for acid‐catalyzed production of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from triglyceride feedstock. The acid catalyst was 4‐dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) and the triglyceride feedstock was rapeseed oil (RSO). The parameter space was explored by means of a design of experiments (DoE) methodology. The variables screened were methanol‐to‐RSO molar ratio, catalyst‐to‐oil molar ratio, and residence time. Over 98 % conversion of RSO to FAME could be achieved under optimized conditions.