Comparison Between Experimental and Simulated Results of Biodiesel Production by Reactive Distillation and Energetic Assessment

Abstract

Biodiesel appears to be a likely substitute to conventional diesel. However, the main challenge has been the creation of a competitive advantage for the biodiesel production process in terms of innovation and efficiency. The reactive distillation technique for biodiesel production is possibly a key force to overcome this technological issue because it combines chemical reaction and the separation process inside the same unit. This work presents kinetic data for biodiesel production via the ethylic route and compare them with the methylic one. It also compares experimental results in a 1.5m reactive distillation pilot plant with simulated ones in ASPEN PLUS for ethylic biodiesel production with a molar ratio 6/1 (alcohol/oil). Kinetic parameters obtained for the ethylic study were k o = 8173dm 3 /(mol.min) and E a =27.48 kJ/mol. Indeed, at the bottom of a six stage column overall the ethylic and methylic biodiesel accounted for 60.1% and 67.8%, respectively. Following this, a sensitivity analysis considering 20 stages of equilibrium showed an ester conversion above 97%. The total energy required to produce biodiesel via a conventional batch reactor was 1210W/h for the ethylic route and 2430 W/h for methylic one, while it amounted to approximately 1000W/h for both routes in the reactive distillation process.

Otimização do processo de producão de biodiesel e glicerol a partir do óleo de palma e soja por modelagem no software dwsim / Optimization of biodiesel and glycerol production process from palm oil and soy by modeling in dwsim software

“…Entretanto, para fins de conversão, dos 152,94 kg.h -1 de etanol em excesso somente é possível utilizar 130 kg.h -1 , mantendo a proporção de entrada das matérias-primas para que ocorra a transesterificação do biodiesel, tendo como perda no processo I 22,94 kg.h -1 de etanol, e em semelhança, no processo II uma perda de 6,84 kg.h -1 do etanol em excesso, podendo esse resíduo compor outro processo de recuperação e reutilização. Ronaldy et al, (2019) propõe uma simulação de sensibilidade com o álcool metílico e etílico para otimizar a razão álcool/molar de óleo na alimentação refluxo da coluna de destilação de 20 estágios de modo a garantir um retorno maior do álcool utilizado no processo aproximando a razão molar álcool/óleo, garantindo a razão para o ponto estequiométrico estabelecido na reação. Oliveira et.…”

Intensificación de procesos: alternativa sustentable para la producción de biocombustibles para el sector transporte

“…Una de las investigaciones que combina la simulación con la experimentación es la producción de biodiésel por dos rutas: etílica y metílica. En el estudio experimental se determinó que la producción del biodiésel mediante destilación reactiva es tres veces más rápida respecto de los reactores discontinuos convencionales; además, en la destilación reactiva se tiene una conversión cercana al 97% y una disminución en energía para las dos rutas (Silva et al, 2019).…”

Deoxygenation of Oleic Acid Methyl Ester in FCC Process Conditions Over Protonated and Sodium Exchanged Y and ZSM-5 Zeolites

“…The use of biofuels has increased signi cantly to attain a sustainable economy and independence from fossil sources. The use of biodiesel as a diesel additive requires a rigorous quality control of this biofuel [2][3]. Biodiesel is subjected to chemical modi cation due to the double bonds of the methyl esters with one, two or three C = C which can be easily oxidized.…”