title: Process engineering and optimization of glycerol separation in a packed-bed reactor for enzymatic biodiesel production.
abstract: A process model for efficient glycerol separation during methanolysis in an enzymatic packed-bed reactor (PBR) was developed. A theoretical glycerol removal efficiency from the reaction mixture containing over 30% methyl esters was achieved at a high flow rate of 540 ml/h. To facilitate a stable operation of the PBR system, a batch reaction prior to continuous methanolysis was conducted using oils with different acid values and immobilized lipases pretreated with methyl esters. The reaction system successfully attained the methyl ester content of over 30% along with reduced viscosity and water content. Furthermore, to obtain a high methyl ester content above 96% continuously, long-term lipase stability was confirmed by operating a bench-scale PBR system for 550 h, in which the intermediates containing methyl esters and residual glycerides were fed into the enzyme-packed columns connected in series. Therefore, the developed process model is considered useful for industrial biodiesel production.
authors.affiliation: Bio-energy Corporation, Research and Development Laboratory, 2-9-7 Minaminanamatsu, Amagasaki 660-0053, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hama
authors.forename: Sriappareddy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamalampudi
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamadani
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuratani
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondo
mesh_terms: D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis*; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D005990:Glycerol / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis; D012212:Rheology; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D004952:Esters; D014867:Water; D008049:Lipase; D008697:Methane; D005990:Glycerol