US EPA

2672682 

Journal Article 

Catalytic Packed-Bed Reactor Configuration for Biodiesel Production Using Waste Oil as Feedstock 

Borges, ME; Diaz, L 

2013 

Yes 

BioEnergy Research
ISSN: 1939-1234 

6 

1 

222-228 

10.1007/s12155-012-9246-7 

WOS:000314518300021 

Pumice, a natural porous silica material, exchanged with potassium is an efficient heterogeneous particulate catalytic material for triglycerides and free fatty acids transesterification reaction from sunflower oil and waste frying oil at low temperature. In this work, a packed-bed catalytic configuration reactor using this catalytic material was developed for biodiesel fuel production from sunflower oil and frying oil feedstock. Reactor operation variables as methanol/oil molar ratio, catalyst amount, reaction time, and reaction temperature were studied. Results were compared with those obtained from the same transesterification reaction proceeding in a slurry batch reactor. The packed-bed catalytic reactor configuration can be useful in order to minimize catalyst mechanical damage occurring in the slurry reactor due to continuous stirring. The possibility of using a packed-bed reactor shows some advantages because the catalyst stays confined in the reactor bed and the reaction products can be easily separated, besides the mechanical stability of the catalyst particles is achieved. 

Packed-bed reactor; Biodiesel; Waste oil; Heterogeneous catalyst; Transesterification reaction; Pumice