Process Engineering Study of the Homogenously Catalyzed Biodiesel Synthesis in a Bubble Column Reactor

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research 2010-12, Vol.49 (24), p.12390-12398
• Main Authors: Mollenhauer, Thomas, Klemm, Walther, Lauterbach, Manfred, Ondruschka, Bernd, Haupt, Jens
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalysis; Catalytic reactions; Chemical engineering; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Kinetics, Catalysis, and Reaction Engineering; Reactors; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/ie101430w

A bubble column reactor has been developed for the production of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from refined oil and oil with high free fatty acid (FFA) content. The aim of our investigations was to examine the basic use of a discontinuously operated bubble reactor for homogenously catalyzed synthesis of FAME in comparison to use of a discontinuously operated stirred reactor. Stirring of the liquid phase in the bubble reactor was realized by the ascending force of bubbles which were introduced over a distribution system from the bottom of the reactor. Either the aerating nitrogen gas (at 60 °C) or vaporized methanol (at 80 °C) were used in the bubble reactor. The ascending bubbles should enable the mass transfer for transesterification and esterification of the feedstock. Further, the catalysts p-toluene sulfonic acid (p-TSS; 3 wt %) or sodium methoxide (1 wt %) were applied to an initial load of 2 L in a molar ratio of 2:1 methanol-to-feedstock related to the fatty acids. Additionally, important process engineering parameters and kinetic information were collected experimentally as well as theoretically. The results show that a bubble reactor is a serious alternative reaction technique for FAME production simplifying the devices and enabling higher throughputs per reaction unit.