Analysis and Validation of Equilibrium Dispersive Model for Reversible Biodiesel Synthesis reaction for Linear Adsorption Isotherm

Abstract

Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) systems are used for separation process, as traditional techniques are much difficult to achieve. SMB has many applications in petrochemical, sugar industries and also in drug separation. In order to implement a reaction in SMB, a clear understanding of design and its operating conditions of the particular reaction process is required. Biodiesel has proved to be a useful alternative to petroleum-based diesel as renewable source. The biodiesel is formed by esterification of fatty acids with alcohol. The further purification steps involve increase in production cost. By combining reaction and separation of SMBR for production of pure diesel will lead to the decrease in production cost. In this work simulations for non-reactive breakthrough for the reaction involving biodiesel generation were performed in order to determine the different parameters of plug flow reaction. The simulations were done with the help of mathematical model known as Equilibrium dispersive model. The errors are minimized between the models with the help of algorithm known as NSGA (Non Dominated sorting Genetic Algorithm).The simulations were performed as they are essential for the construction of complex systems such as SMBR which is difficult to achieve by conventional means. The reversible reaction for biodiesel synthesis was carried out in a single column plug flow reactor. The breakthrough curves of reactants and products formed during the reaction were modelled using the equilibrium dispersive model coupled with state-of-art optimization method; Genetic Algorithm. The entire programming was done with FORTRAN. However, this work has been carried out for linear adsorption isotherm, which is only valid for dilute concentrations.  We intend to test this model for Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Using pre-existing data for biodiesel reaction-separation process, we will test this model using FORTRAN, and thus determine the robustness of the model. In this manner, we can also predict the behaviour of the biodiesel reaction-separation process in a plug flow reactor, at higher concentrations.  This work is quite novel as it involves determination of linear adsorption isotherm characteristics for use in Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Technology.