Christopher Nathanial Oliver

US Patent:

8404005, Mar 26, 2013

Filed:

Sep 10, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/556857

Inventors:

Brian H. Dennis - Arlington TX, US
Richard E. Billo - Colleyville TX, US
Christopher R. Oliver - Commerce Township MI, US
John W. Priest - Dallas TX, US
Elinor Kolesar - Ft. Worth TX, US

Assignee:

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System - Austin TX

International Classification:

C10L 1/18
C11C 3/04

US Classification:

44308, 44307, 554169, 554167, 554170

Abstract:

In a method and system to produce biodiesel using an improved catalytic transesterification process, a first reactant and a second reactant are dispersed to form a laminar slug flow pattern within a microchannel of a microreactor, the first reactant and the second reactant being immiscible. The first reactant and the second reactant are mixed, thereby triggering a reaction between them to produce the biodiesel and glycerol, the mixing being convection-enhanced by shear stress induced circulation occurring within each slug of the reactants. The reaction takes place under a pressure that is less than 5 psi and under a temperature that is less than 70 degrees Celsius. Separation of the glycerol from the biodiesel occurs simultaneously with the mixing. Several microreactors are coupled in parallel to improve throughput of the biodiesel.