Ionic Liquid Catalyst for Waste Oil Transacylation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing waste edible oil into biodiesel face challenges such as product stratification, waste acid treatment, and equipment corrosion, while also requiring stringent feedstock qualities and generating waste water, which hinder the effective utilization of waste edible oil and glycerol produced during transesterification.
Innovation Solution
A method using a water-based acidic ionic liquid (IL) as a catalyst for transacylation and addition acetoxylation of oil, where an organic nitrogen-containing compound reacts with an alkyl sultone to form a zwitterionic compound, which is then mixed with a Bronsted strong acid to create a clear viscous IL, facilitating the conversion of waste edible oil into stabilized acetoxy fatty acid (AFFA) and glycerol triacetate (GTA) under controlled temperature and time conditions, allowing for recycling of the IL and acetic acid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If liquid acidic catalysts (sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, trifluoromethane sulfonic acid, heteropoly acid) are used for transacylation and addition acetoxylation, then the reaction efficiency is improved, but waste acid treatment and equipment corrosion problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an ionic liquid as an intermediary catalyst that mediates the transacylation and addition acetoxylation reactions. The ionic liquid serves as a green alternative to traditional liquid acidic catalysts, maintaining high reaction efficiency while eliminating waste acid treatment and equipment corrosion issues. The ionic liquid's unique properties allow it to function as a stable, non-corrosive catalyst that can be easily separated from the reaction mixture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the catalyst from traditional liquid acids to ionic liquids. This parameter change involves altering the catalyst's molecular structure, physical state, and chemical properties to achieve both high reaction efficiency and environmental compatibility. The ionic liquid's specific physical properties (viscosity, density, thermal stability) are optimized to maintain catalytic activity while eliminating harmful effects.
2Productivity
If traditional transesterification process is used to convert waste edible oil into biodiesel, then the production of FAME is achieved, but product stratification and precipitation of ASG and SG occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic components (ASG and SG) from the reaction system by using selective catalysis. The ionic liquid catalyst promotes transacylation that converts ASG and SG into soluble forms, effectively removing the precipitation issue. The catalyst selectively acts on the problematic compounds to transform them into stable, soluble products that remain in the biodiesel phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the reaction parameters by using ionic liquid catalysis instead of traditional base catalysis. This parameter change alters the reaction mechanism and product distribution, preventing the formation of insoluble ASG and SG while maintaining high FAME production efficiency. The ionic liquid's unique catalytic properties modify the reaction pathway to eliminate stratification and precipitation issues.
3Productivity
If liquid-phase alkali catalysts are used for transesterification, then FAME production is efficient, but stringent feedstock quality requirements and waste water generation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an ionic liquid as an intermediary catalyst that mediates the transesterification reaction. This green catalyst alternative maintains high FAME production efficiency while eliminating the need for stringent feedstock quality control and waste water treatment. The ionic liquid's unique properties allow it to work with broader feedstock ranges and produce no harmful waste water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effects of traditional alkali catalysis (waste water generation, feedstock sensitivity) into beneficial aspects of ionic liquid catalysis. The ionic liquid system eliminates waste water production entirely and provides tolerance for varied feedstock qualities, turning the previous disadvantages into advantages through the unique chemical properties of ionic liquids.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves the yield and selectivity of AFFA and GTA, reduces waste acid treatment, and prevents equipment corrosion, enabling the effective conversion of waste edible oil into high-value, environmentally friendly non-toxic biomass ester products, while also addressing issues of product stratification and feedstock quality.
Implementation Method 1
reacting an organic nitrogen-containing compound with an alkyl sultone to obtain a white solid of a zwitterionic compound
Implementation Method 2
reacted with a Bronsted strong acid in HOAc to obtain a clear viscous water-based acidic IL
Implementation Method 3
using the oil and HOAc as a reactant feedstock and the IL as a catalyst to process transacylation
Implementation Method 4
addition acetoxylation of unsaturated fatty acid for generating stabilized fatty acids
Implementation Method 5
recycling HOAc through vacuuming by heating under a reduced pressure
Implementation Method 6
stratifying a product and the IL by staying still; taking out the product at upper layer and leaving the IL at lower layer
Data Source
AI summary
Fatty acids are produced through transacylation. An organic nitrogen-containing compound is reacted with alkyl sultone to generate a white solid of a zwitterionic compound. After being purified and dried, the white solid is powdered to be reacted with a Bronsted strong acid for obtaining a clear viscous water-based acidic ionic liquid (IL) as a catalyst used used to effectively process transacylation between oil and acetic acid (HOAc) for fabricating fatty acid (FFA) and glycerol triacetate (GTA). Therein, unsaturated fatty acid is simultaneously processed through addition acetoxylation to obtain stabilized acetoxy fatty acid (AFFA). After, HOAc is recycled through vacuuming. Then, the product and the IL are stratified. The product at upper layer is taken out. The IL at lower layer can be recycled for processing transacylation and addition acetoxylation repeatedly. Therein, fatty acids including the stabilized AFFA are obtained from the product after taking out GTA through vacuum distillation.