Boosting the value of biodiesel byproduct by the non-catalytic transesterification of dimethyl carbonate via a continuous flow system under ambient pressure

• Biodiesel production via the continuous flow system.
• Enhanced conversion of biodiesel in the presence of porous material.
• Transesterification of coconut oil with dimethyl carbonate.

Transformation of coconut oil into biodiesel by using dimethyl carbonate (DMC) via a non-catalytic transesterification reaction under ambient pressure was investigated in this study. The non-catalytic transformation to biodiesel was achieved by means of a heterogeneous reaction between liquid triglycerides and gas phase DMC. The reaction was enhanced in the presence of porous material due to its intrinsic physical properties such as tortuosity and absorption/adsorption. The numerous pores in the material served as micro reaction chambers and ensured that there was enough contact time between the liquid triglycerides and the gaseous DMC, which enabled the completion of the transesterification. The highest fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) yield achieved was 98 ± 0.5% within 1–2 min at a temperature of 360–450 °C under ambient pressure. The fast reaction rates made it possible to convert the lipid feedstock into biodiesel via a continuous flow system without the application of increased pressure. This suggested that the commonly used supercritical conditions could be avoided, resulting in huge cost benefits for biodiesel production. In addition, the high value of the byproduct from the transesterification of the lipid feedstock with DMC suggested that the production biodiesel using this method could be more economically competitive. Finally, the basic properties of biodiesel derived from the non-catalytic conversion of rapeseed oil with DMC were summarised.