Production and optimization of biodiesel using mixed immobilized biocatalysts in packed bed reactor.
Vegetable oils are used as raw materials for biodiesel production using transesterification reaction. Several methods for the production of biodiesel were developed using chemical (alkali and acidic compounds) and biological catalysts (lipases). Biodiesel production catalyzed by lipases is energy and cost-saving processes and is carried out at normal temperature and pressure. The need for an efficient method for screening larger number of variables has led to the adoption of statistical experimental design. In the present study, packed bed reactor was designed to study with mixed immobilized biocatalysts to have higher productivity under optimum conditions. Contrary to the single-step acyl migration mechanism, a two-step stepwise reaction mechanism involving immobilized Candida rugosa lipase and immobilized Rhizopus oryzae cells was employed for the present work. This method was chosen because enzymatic hydrolysis followed by esterification can tolerate high free fatty acid containing oils. The effects of flow rate and bed height on biodiesel yield were studied using two factors five-level central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Maximum biodiesel yield of 85 and 81 % was obtained for jatropha oil and karanja oil with the optimum bed height and optimum flow rate of 32.6 cm and 1.35 L/h, and 32.6 cm and 1.36 L/h, respectively.
Biochemical Engineering Lab, Chemical Engineering Department, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, 608002, Tamilnadu, India.
S
S
Bakkiyaraj
Biochemical Engineering Lab, Chemical Engineering Department, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, 608002, Tamilnadu, India. sdmahinbasha@gmail.com.|Environmental Engineering Lab, Nawab Shah Alam Khan College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, 500024, Telangana, India. sdmahinbasha@gmail.com.
Mahin Basha
MB
Syed
Biochemical Engineering Lab, Chemical Engineering Department, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, 608002, Tamilnadu, India.
M G
MG
Devanesan
Biochemical Engineering Lab, Chemical Engineering Department, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, 608002, Tamilnadu, India.
Viruthagiri
V
Thangavelu
D055162:Biocatalysis; D056804:Biofuels; D019149:Bioreactors; D002175:Candida / Q000201:enzymology; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism; D004951:Esterification; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008049:Lipase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012233:Rhizopus
D056804:Biofuels; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D008049:Lipase
Biodiesel; Candida rugosa lipase; Central composite design; Packed bed reactor; Response surface methodology; Rhizopus oryzae