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Continuous biodiesel production using in situ glycerol separation by membrane bioreactor system

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering volume 35, pages 69–75 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Biodiesel is one of the most promising renewable fuel sources. Candida antarctica lipase B (CalB) has been used for biodiesel production because of its high activity and stability. However, CalB can only be utilized in industrial biodiesel production if the enzyme deactivation by methanol and the negative effects of glycerol can be mitigated. Methanol inhibition can be avoided by utilizing a stepwise addition of methanol, but there is no suitable method to reduce the glycerol effect. This study aims to use a membrane bioreactor system to remove glycerol during biodiesel production. In addition, methanol inhibition can be reduced by continuously feeding methanol through the membrane system. This continuous membrane bioreactor system can be used for efficient biodiesel production.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Industrial Strategic Technology Development Program (Project number: 10028394) funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE), Korea.

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Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea

    Myung Joo Ko, Hyun June Park, So Yeon Hong & Young Je Yoo

  2. School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-744, Korea

    Hyun June Park & Young Je Yoo

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  1. Myung Joo Ko
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  2. Hyun June Park
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  3. So Yeon Hong
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Correspondence to Young Je Yoo.

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Ko, M.J., Park, H.J., Hong, S.Y. et al. Continuous biodiesel production using in situ glycerol separation by membrane bioreactor system. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 35, 69–75 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-011-0604-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-011-0604-1

Keywords

  • Biodiesel
  • Membrane bioreactor
  • Glycerol
  • Methanol
  • Lipase