Research Information System
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY, pp.1-10, 2021 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
In this study, an esterification reaction between lauric acid and
methanol was performed in an inert and catalytic pervaporation membrane
reactor (PVMR) and the conversion results were compared. Reactions were
also performed in a batch reactor, demonstrating the advantage of
membrane reactors over conventional reactors. Phosphotungstic acid
(PTA), a strongly heteropolyacid, was used as a catalyst. An inert and
PTA coated polyvinyl alcohol membranes were synthesized for use in the
inert and catalytic membrane reactor, respectively. Effects of catalyst
concentration (from 1 wt.% to 2 wt.%), methanol/lauric acid molar ratio
(from 2 to 6), and temperature (from 50 ℃ to 65 ℃) on lauric acid
conversion and membrane separation performance were studied. Throughout
the study, the effect of membrane separation performance on acid
conversion was clearly demonstrated. Under all operating conditions, the
acid conversion results obtained in inert and catalytic PVMR were
higher than in batch reactors. When the methanol/lauric acid molar ratio
was 6, the temperature was 65 ℃, and the catalyst ratio was 2 wt.%, a
conversion of 80.7% was obtained in the batch reactor, while 98.9% and
97.5% of conversions were obtained in the inert and catalytic membrane
reactor, respectively. Based on these results, it has been relatively
demonstrated that inert and catalytic PVMR systems are efficient in
producing fatty acid methyl ester.