Monday, April 29, 2013
Exhibit Hall
The aim of this study was to characterize the reactor and establish the operational conditions to produce biodiesel by the transesterification reaction of babassu oil with ethanol catalyzed by Candida antarctica Lipase B (Novozym® 435) on a continuous fluidized bed reactor (FBR). The hydrodynamic characteristics of the FBR system, such as the mean residence time and variance were evaluated through the residence time distribution (RTD) employing a pulse input experiment. Using Tanks-in-series model, the flow pattern can be described as an ideal continuous flow stirred tank. Experimental runs were carried out in a solvent free system at 50°C and the effects of oil to ethanol molar ratio (1:7 and 1:12) and residence time (5 and 10 h) on the transesterification yield and productivity were investigated in the FBR system (glass column: 12 mm x 375 mm) with recirculation. The system was also composed by a column packed with Lewatit® GF202 to remove glycerol formed as by product. The best performance was obtained with babassu oil to ethanol molar ratio of 1:12 and residence time of 10 h which provided average yields of (98.95 ± 1.40)% and productivities of (5.35 ± 0.08).10-5 mol/gcat/min. The biodiesel obtained showed kinematic viscosity of (4.96 ± 0.42) mm2/s and the system was stable during 15 days under continuous operation without any loss of activity of the biocatalyst.