Fusel oil is a by-product of distilleries, its average composition
is 10% ethanol, 13% n-propanol, 15% i-butanol, 51% iamyl-
alcohol, 11% miscellaneous alcohols and water. Nowadays
fusel oil is usually burned to complete the energy demand
of the distilleries.
...
Biolubricant was prepared in integrated system by an esterification reaction of fusel oil and oleic acid, where immobilised Novozym 435 lipase enzyme
was used as a biocatalyst. Firstly shaken flasks experiments were carried out, and the effects of water content, temperature, substrate concentration
and the molar ratio of oleic acid and alcohols on the ester yield were investigated in solvent-free system. To eliminate the negative effect of the
water produced in the reaction, integrated system was constructed, and pervaporation was used for water removal. The method was suitable to achieve
99.8% conversion under optimal conditions. |