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Modelling, simulation, and experimental study of a simulated moving bed reactor for the synthesis of biodiesel
Author(s) -
Mitra Ray Nillohit,
Ray Ajay K.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.22460
Subject(s) - biodiesel , yield (engineering) , methanol , simulated moving bed , volumetric flow rate , process engineering , oleic acid , chemistry , biodiesel production , ion exchange resin , heat exchanger , materials science , chemical engineering , catalysis , thermodynamics , engineering , organic chemistry , mechanical engineering , adsorption , metallurgy , physics , biochemistry
Investigation of the reversible esterification reaction between oleic acid and methanol to produce methyl oleate (biodiesel) catalyzed by Amberlyst 15 ion‐exchange resin was carried out in a simulated moving bed reactor (SMBR). SMBR performance was described both experimentally and numerically using a mathematical model under various operating conditions. The model predicted the experimental outcome reasonably well. An improved yield (56 %) and purity (42 %) of biodiesel could be achieved in an SMBR compared to a fixed‐bed reactor (31 % yield and 22 % purity) by selecting appropriate operating conditions. The effects of various process parameters such as switching time as well as feed and eluent flow rate on SMBR behaviour were also investigated systematically.