Interrelation of chemistry and process design in biodiesel manufacturing by heterogeneous catalysis

The pros and cons of using heterogeneous catalysis for biodiesel manufacturing are introduced, and explained from a chemistry and engineering viewpoint. Transesterification reactions of various feed types are then compared in batch and continuous process operation modes. The results show that the reaction chemistry and process kinetics characterising a particular feedstock are determinant factors for obtaining high-grade biodiesel. When using heterogeneous catalysis, the biodiesel quality of a particular feed can be controlled by customising the process design and operation conditions