Fractionation for Biodiesel Purification Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Energies

Chao-Yi Wei²  Tzou-Chi Huang²  Zer-Ran Yu¹  Be-Jen Wang³ 

[1] Superwell Biotechnology Corporation, 465 Wenxin S. 2nd Road, Taichung City 40876, Taiwan; E-Mail:;Department of Food Science, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung County 91201, Taiwan; E-Mails:;Department of Food Science, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 60004, Taiwan; E-Mail:

关键词: biodiesel;    fractionation;    purification;    SC-CO₂;    FAME;   

DOI  :  10.3390/en7020824

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In recent years, biodegradable and alternative biodiesel has attracted increased attention worldwide. Producing biodiesel from biomass involves critical separation and purification technology. Conventional technologies such as gravitational settling, decantation, filtration, water washing, acid washing, organic solvent washing and absorbent applications are inefficient, less cost effective and environmentally less friendly. In this study supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) with few steps and a low environmental impact, was used for biodiesel fractionation from impure fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) solution mixes. The method is suitable for application in a variety of biodiesel production processes requiring subsequent stages of purification. The fractionation and purification was carried out using continuous SC-CO₂ fractionation equipment, consisting of three columns filled with stainless steel fragments. A 41.85% FAME content solution mix was used as the raw material in this study. Variables were a temperature range of 40–70 °C, pressure range of 10–30 MPa, SC-CO₂ flow rate range of 7–21 mL/min and a retention time range of 30–90 min. The Taguchi method was used to identify optimal operating conditions. The results show that a separated FAME content of 99.94% was verified by GC-FID under optimal fractionation conditions, which are a temperature of 40 °C of, a pressure level of 30MPa and a flow rate of 7 mL/min of SC-CO₂ for a retention time of 90 min.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.