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Selective hydrogenation of sunflower seed oil in a three‐phase catalytic membrane reactor
Author(s) -
Veldsink Jan W.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/s11746-001-0283-2
Subject(s) - catalysis , stearic acid , chemistry , membrane reactor , elaidic acid , sunflower oil , linoleic acid , membrane , oleic acid , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , slurry , fatty acid , materials science , biochemistry , engineering , composite material
Continuous hydrogenation of sunflower seed oil has been carried out in a novel three‐phase catalytic membrane hydrogenation reactor. The membrane reactor consisted of a membrane impregnated with Pd as the active catalyst, which provided a catalytic interface between the gas phase (H 2 ) and the oil. Hydrogenations were carried out at different pressures, temperatures, and selectivities, and the formation of trans isomers was monitored during the hydrogenation runs. For the three‐phase catalytic membrane reactor, interfacial transport resistances and intraparticle diffusion limitations did not influence the hydrogenation reaction. Hydrogenation runs under kinetically controlled conditions showed that oleic and elaidic acid were not hydrogenated in the presence of linoleic acid. Initial formation of stearic acid was caused by direct conversion of linoleic acid into stearic acid by a shunt reaction. Furthermore, high selectivities led to high trans levels, which is in accordance with the many published data on hydrogenation of vegetable oils in slurry reactors. Finally, the catalytic membrane showed severe catalyst deactivation. Only partial recovery of the catalyst activity was possible.