Intensified processes for FAME production from waste cooking oil: a technological review

This article reviews the intensification of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) production from waste cooking oil (WCO) using innovative process equipment. In particular, it addresses the intensification of WCO feedstock transformation by transesterification, esterification and hydrolysis reactions. It also discusses catalyst choice and product separation. FAME production can be intensified via the use of a number of process equipment types, including as cavitational reactors, oscillatory baffled reactors, microwave reactors, reactive distillation, static mixers and microstructured reactors. Furthermore, continuous flow equipment that integrate both reaction and separation steps appear to be the best means for intensifying FAME production. Heterogeneous catalysts have also shown to provide attractive results in terms of reaction performance in certain equipment, such as microwave reactors and reactive distillation

Continuous production of glycerol by catalytic high pressure hydrogenolysis of sucrose

Several continuous reactor systems have been discussed for the catalytic high pressure hydrogenolysis of sucrose to glycerol. Theoretically and actually, continuous reactors lead to lower glycerol yields than in a batch process. Two continuous stirred tank reactors in cascade constitute a reasonable compromise. An economic evaluation of the sucrose route to glycerol in comparison with other synthetic glycerol processes based on allyl chloride and acrolein suggests that the sucrose process can be competitive if a sales potential is developed for the by-products propane-l,2-diol, ethylene glycol, and a mixture of higher polyhydric alcohols containing tetritol, pentitol, methyl fructoside, and hexitol

Continuous-Flow Biochemical Reactors: Biocatalysis, Bioconversion, and Bioanalytical Applications Utilizing Immobilized Microfluidic Enzyme Reactors

The utilization of continuous-flow biochemical reactors, including biocatalysis, biotransformation, and biochemical interaction based flow-analytical systems, and enzyme reactors are recently the focus of attention to produce fine biochemicals and also show great potential in bioanalytical applications. Continuous-flow biochemical processes implemented in microstructured reactors enable short development time to production scale utilizing enzymatic processes to efficiently fulfill the current needs of the fine biochemical and pharmaceutical industry. Immobilization of the enzymes is preferable because it usually enhances their stability, and in some instances, immobilized enzymes can even be reused multiple times. In this review on the continuous-flow biochemical reactors, first the enzyme immobilization strategies will be briefly discussed followed by summarizing the recent developments in the field of immobilized enzyme microflow reactors for biocatalysis, bioconversion and bioanalytical purposes

Heat exchanger/reactors (HEX reactors): Concepts, technologies: State-of-the-art

Process intensification is a chemical engineering field which has truly emerged in the past few years and is currently rapidly growing. It consists in looking for safer operating conditions, lower waste in terms of costs and energy and higher productivity; and away to reach such objectives is to develop multifunctional devices such as heat exchanger/reactors for instance. This review is focused on the latter and makes a point on heat exchanger/reactors. After a brief presentation of requirements due to transposition from batch to continuous apparatuses, heat exchangers/reactors at industrial or pilot scales and their applications are described

Intensification of Ester Production in a Continuous Reactor

Numerous continuous intensified reactors are now accessible on the market that offer enhanced thermal performances in a continuous reactor. Such reactors are then particularly suited to fast and highly exothermic reactions. In this paper, the ability to also manage a slow and equilibrated system, the methyl acetate esterification reaction, on condition of intensification in terms of design and operating conditions is presented. To achieve this purpose, a new kinetics model has been developed and validated from experiments carried out in a lab scale batch reactor. Implemented in a simulation framework, this model leads to an intensified design of the reactor and the associated operating conditions. All this intensification methodology has been supported and validated by experimental studies

Analysis and Kinetics of the Sequencing Batch Reactors

Fundamental analysis and kinetics of treatment reactors are major topics in environmental engineering literature. These fundamental topics in reactor processes are well known for the ideal batch reactor, the continuous stirred tank reactor, and the plug flow reactor. The sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) are relatively new in the field, but are widely used. Despite the wide application of sequencing batch reactors in the field, information is lacking on the fundamental analysis and kinetics, especially with comparison to the ideal batch reactor. This report presents analysis and kinetics of the sequencing batch reactors and compares the kinetics equations developed with those of the ideal batch reactor especially for zero-order, first-order, and second-order reactions. A significant result is that the SBRs’ equations for the three re- action orders analyzed become the equations for the ideal batch reactor if the entire reactor volume of a sequencing batch reactor is decanted. The fundamental analysis and the kinetics presented will help enhance the understanding of the sequencing batch reactors and their use in waste treatment

Experimental and theoretical characterization of microbial bioanodes formed in pulp and paper mill effluent in electrochemically controlled conditions

Microbial bioanodes were formed in pulp and paper effluent on graphite plate electrodes under constant polarization at -0.3 V/SCE, without any addition of nutriment or substrate. The bioanodes were characterized in 3-electrode set-ups, in continuous mode, with hydraulic retention times from 6 to 48 h and inlet COD from 500 to 5200 mg/L. Current densities around 4 A/m2 were obtained and voltammetry curves indicated that 6 A/m2 could be reached at +0.1 V/SCE. A theoretical model was designed, which allowed the effects of HRT and COD to be distinguished in the complex experimental data obtained with concomitant variations of the two parameters. COD removal due to the electrochemical process was proportional to the hydraulic retention time and obeyed a Michaelis–Menten law with respect to the COD of the outlet flow, with a Michaelis constant KCOD of 400 mg/L. An inhibition effect occurred above inlet COD of around 3000 mg/L

Advanced reactor engineering with 3D printing for the continuous-flow synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The implementation of advanced reactor engineering concepts employing additive manufacturing is demonstrated. The design and manufacturing of miniaturised continuous flow oscillatory baffled reactors (mCOBR) employing low cost stereolithography based 3D printing is reported for the first time. Residence time distribution experiments have been employed to demonstrate that these small scale reactors offer improved mixing conditions at a millimetre scale, when compared to tubular reactors. Nearly monodisperse silver nanoparticles have been synthesised employing mCOBR, showing higher temporal stability and superior control over particle size distribution than tubular flow reactors

Transposition from a batch to a continuous process for microencapsulation by interfacial polycondensation

A novel continuous process is proposed and investigated to produce microcapsules by interfacial polycondensation. Polymeric microcapsules are obtained via a two-step process including an initial emulsification of two immiscible fluids in static mixers and a subsequent interfacial polycondensation reaction performed in two different continuous reactors, the Deanhex heat exchanger/reactor or a classical coiledtube. This study is carried out through a step by step approach. A model system involving polyurea as the polymeric membrane and cyclohexane as the encapsulated species is chosen. A semi-batch reaction kinetic study is first performed in order to obtain kinetics data of the polycondensation reaction and to highlight hydrodynamic issues that can happen when running the encapsulation reaction in classical stirred tank. Parameters influencing droplets size obtained when carrying out emulsification in static mixers are then investigated. The hydrodynamic of the Deanhex reactor used is also characterized in terms of mixing time and residence time distribution. To validate the innovative continuous process, the emulsion droplets obtained at the static mixer outlet are encapsulated firstly in the Deanhex reactor and secondly in the coiled-tube. The apparent reaction kinetics and microcapsules characteristics corresponding to different operating conditions are discussed