A fluidized bed reactor as an approach to enzymatic biodiesel production in a process with simultaneous glycerol removal

• Continuous enzymatic transesterification was performed in a FBR using Novozym® 435.
• The FBR was operated in a recycle configuration connected with Lewatit column for glycerol removal.
• Parameters were assessed to satisfy both criteria of high biodiesel productivity and overall efficiency.
• High conversions and productivities were attained without any activity loss.

The hydrodynamic characteristics and operational conditions to produce biodiesel by the ethanolysis of babassu oil catalyzed by immobilized lipase (Novozym® 435) were established in a fluidized bed reactor coupling with a column to simultaneous remove glycerol formed as byproduct. Hydrodynamics was determined by means of pulse tracer trials and results showed that the flow pattern can be described as an ideal continuous flow stirred tank. The best performance was obtained by running the reactor with biocatalyst loading of 12% and a space–time of 8 h, attaining an average yield of 98.1% and productivity of 9.9 molester/gcat/min.

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