Phase equilibrium modeling of triglycerides in supercritical fluids

Abstract

To design a reactor and separator for a supercritical biodiesel process, phase equilibria of multi-component mixtures in supercritical fluids should be determined using group contribution with association equation of state (GCA-EOS) as a thermodynamics method. The model is considered for two systems of reactants and products. System 1 is comprised of methanol and triglycerides from two sources (palm and Jatropha oils); and System 2 is unconverted methanol, FAME (product) and glycerol (by-product). Pressure and temperature diagrams were developed at different mole fraction of methanol ( x MeOH). As x MeOH increased, the critical temperature ( T c) and pressure ( p c) increased. The increasing temperature causes the immiscibility region and the amount of methanol at the plait point to decrease. The maximum plait point pressure was observed at 19.20 MPa for palm and 19.33 MPa for Jatropha oil systems.