Epoxidation of vegetable oils in continuous device: kinetics, mass transfer and reactor modelling

• Published in: Chemical engineering science 2024-07, Vol.294, p.120079, Article 120079
• Main Authors: Cogliano, T., Russo, V., Eränen, K., Tesser, R., Di Serio, M., Salmi, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biphasic System; Continuous Reactor; Epoxidation; Prilezhaev Reaction; Reactor Modelling; Vegetable Oil
• ISSN: 0009-2509; 1873-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2024.120079

[Display omitted] •Epoxidation of non-edible vegetable oil was conducted with high conversion and high selectivity.•Continuous operation mode was applied.•A packed column reactor was used in the experiments.•The experimental data were successfully described by a bifacial and dynamic mathematical model. Epoxides are an attracting class of molecules thanks to their highly reactivity given by the strain three-terms ring. For this reason, epoxides are important intermediates for the synthesis of several organic compounds. Epoxidized vegetable oils (EVOs) obtained from biomass, represent a noteworthy source for valuable chemicals. EVOs have already been successfully applied as stabilizers and scavengers in PVC and, after follow-up reactions, as plasticizers in PVC as well as intermediates to produce polyurethane. However, the industrial production of EVOs still relies on a cumbersome and dangerous semibatch technology, limiting the productivity of this platform chemical. A new, continuous and safe technology for the production of EVOs from non-edible vegetable oils was developed in this work. Cardoon seed oil was used as a model system. A continuous reactor configuration consisting of a packed column, was constructed and its performance was successfully demonstrated, leading to double bond conversions exceeding 95 % and epoxide selectivities 90 % at 40 °C, clearly exceeding the performance of the current semibatch process. The reaction system was studied in detail and a dynamic liquid–liquid reactor model was developed, based on the intrinsic kinetics, interfacial mass transfer and axial dispersion effects.