Continuous Epoxidation of oleic esters in a micro reactor
Special Symposium - EPIC-1: European Process Intensification Conference - 1
EPIC-1: Intensified Hydrodynamics & Structured Environments (IHSE-3)
Keywords: micro scale, epoxidation, lubricants, solvent free, two phase system
Goal of the collaborative research center 442 (SFB 442) is to develop environmentally friendly high performance tribosystems. Therefore, engineers, material scientists, chemists, and biologists are working closely together. Our research is focused on the development of new environmentally friendly lubricants. We use oleic acid methyl ester from renewable sources as starting material. This is processed to give a lubricant within two steps, epoxidation and successive alcoholysis. The reaction is currently carried out routinely as a batch process on a 50L scale to satisfy the needs of the collaborators.
Aiming for a continuous process both chemical and enzymatic routes of synthesis are evaluated for process intensification. For the development of an environmentally friendly product, evaluation of toxicity and biodegradability has to be taken into account which could be demonstrated successfully for the batch process. Thus, besides yield and selectivity these factors are taken into account directly as the process is developed.
We will present the results for the epoxidation as the first step using micro reaction engineering for evaluation and production and isothermal reaction calorimetry for process intensification. The effect of a solvent free approach for reaction and down-stream processing will be evaluated. The results will be compared to the established production.
Presented Thursday 20, 09:50 to 10:10, in session EPIC-1: Intensified Hydrodynamics & Structured Environments (IHSE-3).
