Monday, August 11, 2008 - 3:30 PM
S36
Optimization of Lipase-catalyzed Biodiesel by Isopropanolysis in Solvent-free System Using Continuous Bioreactor by RSM
Chwen-Jen Shieh, Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, Taiwan, Tsung-Ta Wu, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, Taiwan, and Jei-Fu Shaw, Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung, 402, Taiwan.
Biodiesel production from renewable plant oils has attracted recent attention because of its environmental benefits and the renewable resources. Enzymatic Isopropanolysis reaction was performed by immobilized lipase in solvent-free condition was investigated. By statistical approach, this study is to optimize the degree of isopropanolysis of soybean oil in a continuous packed-bed reactor when Novozym® 435 was used as the biocatalyst. Response surface methodology (RSM) and 3-factor-3-level Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of synthesis parameters, such as reaction temperature (ºC), flow rate (mL/min), and substrate molar ratio of methanol to soybean oil on percentage molar conversion of biodiesel by isopropanolysis reaction. The results showed that flow rate and temperature were significant effect on the percent molar conversion. Based on ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions for synthesis condition were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 51.5 °C, and substrate molar ratio 1:4.1. The predicted value was 76.6 ± 1.5% and actual experimental value was 75.6 ± 0.8% molar conversion. Moreover, continuous enzymatic process for 7 d did not show any appreciable decrease in the percent of molar conversion (75%). It demonstrated that lipase-catalyzed isopropyl esters of isopropanolysis reaction in solvent-free with a continuous packed-bed reactor could be applied in scale-up of industrial production.