Abstract
CalleraTM Trans L, a liquid formulation of
Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase, has recently shown great
promise as a cost-efficient catalyst for methanolysis of
triglyceride substrates, specifically in the BioFAME process.
However, identifying the right combination of temperature
and concentrations of catalyst, water and methanol to realize
the full potential of the reaction system has remained a
challenge. This study presents an investigation of the impact
of temperature, enzyme and water concentration on the
reaction, as well as the effect of methanol feed rate for the
conversion of rapeseed oil in a fed-batch reaction system. It
was observed that the reaction can be divided into two
distinct parts. The first part of the reaction, during which
primarily tri- and diglycerides are converted, proceeded at a
high rate and thus required a high rate of methanol supply.
The second part of the reaction, where the remaining di- and
monoglycerides are converted, proceeded at a much lower
rate. Consequently, it is necessary to reduce the methanol
feed rate during the latter part of the reaction to avoid
inhibition or even inactivation of the enzyme. Since the
second part of the reaction occupied most of the 24-h
reaction time, it was concluded that this is the part of the
process where further development efforts should be
targeted. This point was demonstrated by partially substituting
the catalyst with a lipase with a different specificity, which
enhanced the performance during the second phase of the
reaction.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Biotechnology and Bioengineering (Print) |
Volume | 111 |
Issue number | 12 |
Pages (from-to) | 2446–2453 |
ISSN | 0006-3592 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- Biodiesel production
- Fatty acid methyl esters
- Transesterification
- Lipase catalysis
- Process Evaluation