Thermal and Fluid Dynamic Analysis within a Batch Micro-Reactor for Biodiesel Production from Waste Vegetable Oil

Maurizio Carlini,Andrea Mennuni,Sonia Castellucci

doi:10.3390/su9122308

Abstract

Biofuels represent an alternative solution to petroleum-based fuels. In particular, biodiesel is very interesting, especially if it is produced from waste vegetable oil. Biodiesel can be used in diesel engines. The aim of this work is to implement a 2D numerical analysis in Comsol Multiphysics in order to verify an uniform temperature field within a non-isothermal batch mixed micro-reactor. An immersion heater system has been studied as a suitable solution to increase the temperature of WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) before the start of the transesterification reaction. Thus, the efficiency of the immersion heating system has been investigated. The results show that the temperature field is not uniform within the fluid domain, because of the convective flux with the external environment. These conditions could lead to a low overall conversion rate.

Highlights

Energy demand has been increasingly influenced by new targets in order to achieve environmental pollution reduction and renewable waste management [1]
It could be used to obtain BioDiesel (BD), a Fatty Acids Alchyl Ester (FAAE) which constitutes an alternative to the petroleum-based fuel [4,5]
A batch micro-reactor used to produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oil has been simulated in Comsol Multiphysics

Summary

Introduction

Energy demand has been increasingly influenced by new targets in order to achieve environmental pollution reduction and renewable waste management [1]. Referring to European scenario, Directive 2009/28/EC— known as Directive 20-20-20—and Energy Roadmap 2050 set climate and energy goals to be achieved by 2020: gases emissions reduction and energy efficiency improvement are some of the requirements. Biomass represents an alternative to petroleum-based energy production. Vegetable Oil (VO) is a natural fat produced by physical or chemical extraction applied to oil seeds. It could be used to obtain BioDiesel (BD), a Fatty Acids Alchyl Ester (FAAE) which constitutes an alternative to the petroleum-based fuel [4,5]. The physical-chemical characteristics of the vegetable oil, for example, high viscosity, low volatility and presence of polyunsaturated bonds, does not allow its use in diesel engines. Vegetable oils are frequently used in the transesterification proces for the production of biodiesel

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