A continuous-flow biodiesel production process using a rotating packed bed.

The continuous-flow transesterification of soybean oil with methanol using a rotating packed bed (RPB) for the production of fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) is presented herein. The RPB, which provides high centrifugal force and has an adjustable rotational speed, is employed as a novel transesterification reactor. In this study, biodiesel is synthesized via the methanolysis of soybean oil using potassium hydroxide as the catalyst. The following variables were investigated for their effects on transesterification efficiency: the methanol-oil molar ratio, the estimated hydraulic retention time, the rotational speed of the packed-bed rotator, the reaction temperature, and the catalyst dosage. The yield of the fatty acid methyl esters (Y(FAME)) in the RPB system depends significantly on the experimental conditions, which influence the residence time distribution, the transesterification reaction rate, and the micromixing intensity. Due to its excellent micromixing characteristics, the RPB system shows satisfactory transesterification efficiency. The values of Y(FAME), productivity of FAMEs (P(FAME)), and P(FAME) per unit reactor volume (P(FAME)/V(R)) in the RPB are used to evaluate the performance for biodiesel production and allow for further comparison with other continuous transesterification reactors. Consequently, a RPB is considered a practical transesterification reactor with high transesterification efficiency.

Photocatalytic degradation of p-phenylenediamine with TiO2-coated magnetic PMMA microspheres in an aqueous solution.

This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of p-phenylenediamine (PPD) with titanium dioxide-coated magnetic poly(methyl methacrylate) (TiO2/mPMMA) microspheres. The TiO2/mPMMA microspheres are employed as novel photocatalysts with the advantages of high photocatalytic activity, magnetic separability, and good durability. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the TiO2/mPMMA microspheres are used to characterize the morphology, element content, and distribution patterns of magnetite and TiO2 nanoparticles. The BET-specific surface area and saturation magnetization of the TiO2/mPMMA microspheres are observed as 2.21 m(2)/g and 4.81 emu/g, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation of PPD are performed under various experimental conditions to examine the effects of initial PPD concentration, TiO2/mPMMA microsphere dosage, and illumination condition on the eliminations of PPD and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations. Good repeatability of photocatalytic performance with the use of the TiO2/mPMMA microspheres has been demonstrated in the multi-run experiments. The photocatalytic kinetics for the reductions of PPD and COD associated with the initial PPD concentration, UV radiation intensity, and TiO2/mPMMA microsphere dosage are proposed. The relationships between the reduction percentages of COD and PPD are clearly presented.