Lipase Catalyzed Biodiesel Production Madelyn Ball University of New Hampshire B.S. Chemical Engineering, Class of 2014 June 6, 2012 Brazil International Experience 2012 UNICAMP

What is biodiesel?

• Fatty acid alkyl esters made from mixtures of free fatty acids and triglycerides

• Produced from various fats and oils including waste products

[Fjerbaek et al. 2009]

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

http://share.psu.ac.th/file/waraporn.ra/view/4640

What is biodiesel?

http://www.mckeownbiofuels.com/

Advantages

• Used in current diesel engines without modification

• Biodegradable • Emits fewer particles, CO, sulfur

and hydrocarbons than petroleum diesel

• Decrease dependency on foreign oil

• Can be used in pure form or mixed with petroleum diesel

[Fjerbaek et al. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2009]

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/biodiesel.shtml

Disadvantages

• Lower fuel economy • Effects on engine durability still

unknown • Use of biodiesel above 5% is not yet

warrantied by auto makers • Increased 𝑁𝑂2 emissions • Not enough waste oil exists to

replace all petroleum diesel • Price

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/7490/Soybeans

Cost Comparison Nationwide Average Price

(January 2011) Petroleum diesel $3.45 Biodiesel (B20) $3.50 Biodiesel (B99-B100) $4.05

• Biodiesel is currently more expensive • May change as petroleum sources dwindle and

biodiesel technology improves

US DOE Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report

Producing biodiesel

• Transesterification of triglycerides

http://share.psu.ac.th/file/waraporn.ra/view/4640

Producing biodiesel

• Esterification of free fatty acids

http://ww2.mackblackwell.org/web/research/all_research_projects/2000s/2092/mbtc-2092.htm

Catalysts

Acid

Sulfuric acid

Base

NaOH

Enzyme

Lipase

Base Catalysts

High Conversion

Fast reaction rate

Fatty acids undergo

saponification Large amount

of catalyst needed

Corrosive to production equipment

[Vasudevan et al. Waste and Biomass Valorization 2008]

Lipase Simultaneous reactions

Less substrate needed

Biodegradable

Reusable

Lower temperatures

Lower energy use

Expensive

[Kulkarni 2006, Dos Santos Correa 2001, Cavalcanti-Oliveira 2011]

NaOH Lipase

R$6.92/g

Yields up to 90%

R$4.16/g

Yields up to 90%

[Fjerbaek 2009, Schuchardt 1997, Sigma-Aldrich]

Reducing cost of lipase

• Genetic modification

of organisms to overproduce lipase

• Research at UNH, Dr. P.T. Vasudevan

http://weloveteaching.com/2011/genetics/recombinantDNA.html

Conclusion

• Lipase catalyzed reaction has many advantages ▫ Less energy intensive ▫ High conversion rate ▫ More environmentally sound

• Expensive ▫ More thorough cost comparison needed

• Very viable option if cheaper lipase can be obtained

Are biofuels a good energy option?

Yes Technology

and distribution

exists

Minimal infrastructure

changes

Not final solution,

but a good current option

From non-food crop sources

References d’Avila Cavalcanti-Oliveira, E., da Silva, P.R., Ramos, A. P., Aranda, D.A.G. Freire, D.M.G. 2011. "Study of soybean oil hydrolysis catalyzed by Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase and its application to biodiesel production via hydroesterification." Enzyme Research 2011: Article ID 618692. Dos Santos Correa, I.N., de Souza, S. L., Catran, M., Bernardes, O.L., Portilho, M.F., Langone, M.A.P. 2011. "Enzymatic biodiesel synthesis using a byproduct obtained from palm oil refining," Enzyme Research 2011: Article ID 814507. Fjerbaek, L., K. V. Christensen, et al. (2009). "A review of the current state of biodiesel production using enzymatic transesterification." Biotechnology and Bioengineering 102(5): 1298-1315. Kulkarni, M. G., R. Gopinath, et al. (2006). "Solid acid catalyzed biodiesel production by simultaneous esterification and transesterification." Green Chemistry 8(12): 1056- 1062. Meher, L. C., D. Vidya Sagar, et al. (2006). "Technical aspects of biodiesel production by transesterification— a review." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 10(3): 248-268. Radich, Anthony. "Biodiesel Performance, Costs, and Use." Biodiesel Performance, Costs, and Use. Energy Information Administration. Web. 04 June 2012. <http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biodiesel/>. Vasudevan, P.T., Fu, B. 2008. "Environmentally Sustainable Biofuels: Advances in Biodiesel Research," Waste and Biomass Valorization 1(1):47-63. Vasudevan, P.T., Gagnon, M.D., Briggs, M.S. “Environmentally Sustainable Biofuels – The Case for Biodiesel, Biobutanol and Cellulosic Ethanol,” in Sustainable Biotechnology: Natural Resources and New Perspectives, Eds. Steven Harvey and Om Singh, Springer. 2010, 43-62.