A promissing glycerol-free biodiesel production process established by a new acyl acceptor: Dimethyl carbonate (DMC)
Jiahui Gu1, Zhong Xin1, Xin Meng1, Liping Zhang1, Shuzhen Sun2, Qinan Qiao2
1 State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
2Jilin Fuel Alcohol Co. Ltd., Jilin 132101, China
Abstract
Conventionally, biodiesel is prepared by transesterification of oil and short chain alcohols and termed as fatty acid methyl/ethyl esters (FAMEs/FAEEs). However, the byproduct glycerol is hard to be separated and refined and has a very low economic value. So in order to prevent the overproduction of glycerol, the dimethyl carbonate (DMC), with the merits of low toxic and good lipid solubility, has been used as a substitute for short-chain alcohols to produce glycerol-free biodiesel.
In our recent work, the transesterification process of palm oil and DMC for preparing biodiesel has been investigated at the catalysis of heterogeneous base catalyst (KOH) and immobilized lipase (Novozym 435). However, due to high content of saturated FAMEs, the pour point of palm oil-based biodiesel is too high to be used in cold areas such as northern China. Thus, the corn oil is introduced to enhance the low-temperature fluidity of biodiesel. The biodiesel obtained reached the quality reported by Chinese National Standards GB/T 20828-2007 and ASTM method D6751. Besides, the combustion performance is also studied with the blends of DMC based-biodiesel and 0#diesel (B10 and B20), and it showed that the biodiesel/desel blends can be dircetly used in the engine even without separating the excess DMC and byproduct glycerol carbonate.
Nevertheless, it is controversial to use edible oil as the feedstock of biodiesel in China, so another source of low cost inedible-corn oil can be found in DDGS (Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles), and the DDGS is a large quantity by-product derived from dry-grind corn ethanol process. However, as the DDGS-extracted corn oil has a high acid value of 41.6mgKOH/g, the acrylic super absorbent resin (SAP) is added to absorb the water generated during the reaction and prevent the lipase catalyst from deactivation.
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Recent Publications
1. Jiahui Gu, Zhong Xin, Xin Meng, Shuzhen Sun, Qinan Qiao, Hongbo Deng (2015) Studies on biodiesel production from DDGS-extracted corn oil at the catalysis of Novozym 435/superabsorbent polymer. Fuel 146: 33-40.
2. Zhong Xin, Jiahui Gu (2015) Glycerol-free biodiesel preparation with high acid-value oil. Authorised Chinese Patent 103275814 B.
3. Jiahui Gu, Zhong Xin, Xin Meng, Shuzhen Sun, Qinan Qiao, Hongbo Deng (2016) Recovering high value-added substances from corn distillers dried grains with solubles: a semi-continuous countercurrent downstream processing method. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology 91: 1327-1338.
4. Shuzhen Sun, Liping Zhang, Xin Meng, Cong Ma, Zhong Xin (2014) Biodiesel Production by Transesterification of Corn Oil with Dimethyl Carbonate Under Heterogeneous Base Catalysis Conditions Using Potassium Hydroxide. Chemistry & Technology of Fuels & Oils 50: 99-107.
5. Shuzhen Sun, Liping Zhang, Xin Meng, Zhong Xin (2013) Kinetic study on lipase catalyzed trans-esterification of palm oil and dimethyl carbonate for biodiesel production. Journal of Renewable & Sustainable Energy 5: 1129-1132.
6. Liping Zhang, Boyang Sheng, Zhong Xin, Qun Liu, Shuzhen Sun (2010) Kinetics of transesterification of palm oil and dimethyl carbonate for biodiesel production at the catalysis of heterogeneous base catalyst. Bioresource Technology 101: 8144-8150.
7. Liping Zhang, Shuzhen Sun, Zhong Xin, Boyang Sheng, Qun Liu (2010) Synthesis and component confirmation of biodiesel from palm oil and dimethyl carbonate catalyzed by immobilized-lipase in solvent-free system. Fuel 89: 3960-3965.
Biography
Dr. Jiahui Gu has completed his Ph.D degree in East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), Shanghai, China. Now he works as a postdoctoral research fellow in the goup of Prof. Zhong Xin in ECUST. He focuses on the comprehensive utilization of the corn bioethanol coproduct: DDGS, including biodiesel production from DDGS-extracted corn oil. Now he has published six papers and patents about biomass utilization in international journals like Fuel, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol and J. Food. Eng.
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Biography
Prof. Zhong Xin is the vice president of ECUST. He is majoring in matetials and energy chemical engineering (polymercrystallization, biomass energy, methane production by syngas). Now he has published more than 150 papers in international jouranls (such as AIChE J, IECR, Chemical Engineering Science, Langmuir, Fuel, Polymer, Bioresource Technology), 25 patents and 5 books.
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