Batch and continuous & gamma;-alumina-catalyzed FAME production from soybean oil deodorizer distillate by interesterification

This paper presents data for a batch and continuous fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) production through heterogeneous catalysis interesterification with methyl acetate, using soybean oil deodorizer distillate (SODD) as feedstock, a high-acid by-product of problematical destination, generated during the soybean oil refining process. As a reaction catalyst, & gamma;-alumina with high catalytic activity, acid character, and an interesting specific area was synthesized and used in the processes. The SODD presented a significant FFA content of 35.2 & PLUSMN; 0.4 wt% and low convertibility in esters (48.0 & PLUSMN; 0.9 %) pointing to high impurity content. By statistical design, the parameters optimization (temperature, methyl acetate:SODD mass ratio, and catalyst load) of the batch reactor returned results that indicated the reliability and reproducibility of the proposed model, allowing predicting the system behavior at autogenous pressure, where around 80.0 wt% of ester yield and 5.4 wt% of triacetin (TA) yield was obtained after 2 h. By kinetics analysis, a FAME yield higher of 90 wt% and TA yield of 13.90 wt% were achieved after 4 h. From these results, continuous production of FAME and TA could be evaluated, where the results obtained permitted to affirm that the acid heterogeneous interesterification can be an interesting process to biodiesel synthesis from SODD.

Automated summary

This paper presents data on the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) through batch and continuous heterogeneous catalysis interesterification with methyl acetate, using soybean oil deodorizer distillate (SODD) as feedstock. The study utilized γ-alumina as a reaction catalyst with high catalytic activity, acid character, and specific area. The optimization of parameters in the batch reactor showed reliable and reproducible results, achieving an ester yield of around 80.0 wt% and a triacetin (TA) yield of 5.4 wt% after 2 hours. Kinetics analysis resulted in a FAME yield higher than 90 wt% and a TA yield of 13.90 wt% after 4 hours. These findings suggest that acid heterogeneous interesterification can be an interesting process for biodiesel synthesis from SODD.