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Kinetics of enzymatic trans-esterification of glycerides for biodiesel production

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Abstract

In this paper, the reaction of enzymatic trans-esterification of glycerides with ethanol in a reaction medium containing hexane at a temperature of 37 °C has been studied. The enzyme was Lipase from Mucor miehei, immobilized on ionic exchange resin, aimed at achieving high catalytic specific surface and recovering, regenerating and reusing the biocatalyst. A kinetic analysis has been carried out to identify the reaction path; the rate equation and kinetic parameters have been also calculated. The kinetic model has been validated by comparison between predicted and experimental results. Mass transport resistances estimation was undertaken in order to verify that the kinetics found was intrinsic. Model potentialities in terms of reactors design and optimization are also shown.

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Abbreviations

CSTBR:

Continuous stirred tank bio-reactor

D:

Diolein (in reaction mechanism)

d p :

Catalyst particle diameter

[e]:

Enzyme concentration (g/l)

E:

Enzyme (in reaction mechanism)

E′:

Activate complex (in reaction mechanism)

E–Et:

Enzyme–ethanol complex (in reaction mechanism)

E–D:

Enzyme–diolein complex (in reaction mechanism)

E–M:

Enzyme–monolein complex (in reaction mechanism)

E–P:

Enzyme–product complex (in reaction mechanism)

E–T:

Enzyme–triolein complex (in reaction mechanism)

EO:

Ethyloleate (in reaction mechanism)

[EO]:

Ethyloleate molar concentration (mol/l)

Δ[EO]:

Ethyloleate production (mol/l)

Et:

Ethanol (in reaction mechanism)

[Et]:

Ethanol molar concentration (mol/l)

G:

Glycerol (in reaction mechanism)

[G]:

Glycerol molar concentration (mol/l)

Ki:

Kinetic parameters (various dimension)

k s :

Mass transport coefficient (m/s)

M:

Monolein (in reaction mechanism)

me:

Mass of enzyme (g)

mso:

Mass of simulating oil (g)

MW:

Molecular weight [Da]

P:

Products in terms of total sum of glycerol, monolein and diolein (M + D + G) (in reaction mechanism)

[P]:

Concentration of products in terms of total sum of glycerol, monolein and diolein (M + D + G) (mol/l)

Sh:

Sherwood number

T:

Triolein (in reaction mechanism)

[t]:

Triolein mass concentration (g/l)

[T]:

Triolein molar concentration (mol/l)

t :

Time (h)

t D :

Diffusion time (h)

t v :

Reaction time (h)

U:

Units of enzyme (Unit)

[U]:

Concentration of enzyme in terms of Unit (Unit/l)

v :

Reaction rate (mol/l h)

V H :

Hexane volume (ml) or (l)

V SO :

Simulating oil volume (ml) or (l)

0:

Referring to initial conditions

α, β:

Kinetic parameters

δ, ε:

Functions of Et0

δ0, δ1, ε0, ε1, ε2:

Parameters

τ :

CSTBR mean residence time (h)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Modelling, University of Calabria, via P. Bucci Cubo 45/A, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy

    Vincenza Calabrò, Emanuele Ricca, Maria Gabriela De Paola, Stefano Curcio & Gabriele Iorio

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  1. Vincenza Calabrò
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  2. Emanuele Ricca
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  3. Maria Gabriela De Paola
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  4. Stefano Curcio
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  5. Gabriele Iorio
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Correspondence to Emanuele Ricca.

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Calabrò, V., Ricca, E., De Paola, M.G. et al. Kinetics of enzymatic trans-esterification of glycerides for biodiesel production. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 33, 701–710 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-009-0392-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-009-0392-z

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