Enzymatic transesterification/esterification processing systems and processes employing lipases immobilzed on hydrophobic resins

Abstract

Disclosed are processing systems and processes for carrying out enzymatic batchwise or continuous process for the production of fatty acid alkyl esters for use in the biofuels, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and detergents industries.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD[0001]The presently disclosed subject matter relates to processing systems and processes for the production of fatty acid alkyl esters for use for example in the biofuels, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and detergents industries.PRIOR ART[0002]References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:[0003]WO 2011 / 107977[0004]Co-pending international patent application PCT / IL2011 / 000699[0005]Ricca, E. et al., Asia-Pac. J. Chem. Eng. 2009; 4: 365-368[0006]Hilterhaus, L. et al., Organic Process Res. Develop. 2008, 12:618-625[0007]Sotoft, L. F. et al., Bioresource Technol. 2010, 101:5266-5274[0008]Hama, S. et al., Biochem. Eng. J. 2011, 55:66-71[0009]Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.BACKGROUND[0010]Enzymatic production of biofuels (biodiesel) is generally conducted in mu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The processing system described in this patent allows for independent control of the flow rate of fatty acid alkyl esters and their yield, which can help to better control the fluidization and expansion of an immobilized enzyme such as lipase preparation in both the reaction vessel and the auxiliary reaction module. This has technical benefits for improving the efficiency and accuracy of the processing system.

Problems solved by technology

Enzymatic production of biofuels (biodiesel) is generally conducted in multiphasic systems, and is a complex process.

A main issue is to produce immobilized enzyme preparations which would be stable, whilst effective, so as to be used over a large number of reaction cycles, since the immobilized enzymes are expensive, and a cost-affecting parameter in all method of production using them.

This drawback has prohibited the application of lipases for production of commercial quantities of fatty acids methyl esters (“biodiesel”) using oil triglycerides and methanol as substrates.

Such biocatalysts generally lose their catalytic performance after a few cycles when the same batch of biocatalyst is used.

Conditions under which the catalytic reaction is carried out, can adversely affect the stability and efficiency of immobilized enzyme preparations.

Such a system has been found to be useful for achieving dispersion of the immobilized enzyme in the reactor; however due to high shear, resin-immobilized enzymes might be susceptible to attrition, leading to loss of the enzyme activity.

Such a system has been used at laboratory scale, but not at large or industrial scale where high pressure drop can be developed over the PBR which leads to inhibition of the continuous operation of the PBR.

Other types of reactors including fluidized bed reactor (FBR), bubble column reactor (BCR) and expanded bed reactor (EBR) have not been evaluated nor suggested for the production of biodiesel with the aid of immobilized enzymes, and in any case such reactors are conventionally considered unsuitable for this purpose due problems associated therewith, including for example low conversions and loss of catalytic activity in the product stream (Sotoft et al., 2010, ibid.).

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