Final Report Summary - NOVABIODIESEL (Continuous production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using green engineering)
The project was divided in four main tasks:
Task 1 evaluated the composition of waste cooking oil (WCO), to assess the influence of the cooking process in the composition of WCO and its influence in the transesterification reaction.
Task 2 evaluated the continuous enzymatic transesterification of virgin and waste cooking oil with methanol and ethanol in scCO2, using different enzymes. In this task, reaction parameters, i.e. temperature, pressure, oil to alcohol molar ration and scCO2 flow rate were optimized for three different enzymes – Novozyme 435, Lipozyme TL IM and Lipozyme RM IM – and two alcohols – methanol and ethanol.
Task 3 evaluated product fractionation by varying temperature and pressure conditions in a series of gravimetric separators. The separation of the two reaction products, biodiesel and glycerol, can be achieved by changing scCO2 density and with it its solvent power. Given that glycerol is less soluble in scCO2 than biodiesel, glycerol precipitates in a first separator, while biodiesel remains in the scCO2 phase. In cases where the reaction in not complete there will be mono-, di- and triacylglycerols present in the product stream. Their separation from biodiesel with scCO2 was also evaluated.
Task 4 looked at the economical viability of the complete process.
A high pressure apparatus for the continuous transesterification of oil with methanol and ethanol to yield biodiesel via biocatalysis under scCO2 was developed.
This apparatus consists of two main sections: a reaction section with a high pressure packed- bed enzymatic reactor, and a separation section.
Reactions were carried out with the enzymes Novozyme 435, Lipozyme TL IM and Lipozyme RM IM, and with methanol and ethanol at 200 - 250 bar, 35 – 60 °C, with oil to alcohol molar ratios between 1:6 to 1:56 ,and scCO2 flow rates in the range 5 – 30 ml/min.