Innovative biodiesel production in a reactive dividing-wall column

This study proposes a novel biodiesel process based on a reactive dividing-wall column (DWC) that allows the use of only similar to 15% excess of methanol to completely convert the fatty acids feedstock. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) are produced as pure bottom product, water as side stream, while the methanol excess is recovered as top distillate and recycled. The optimal configuration was established by using simulated annealing (SA) as optimization method implemented in Mathworks Matlab, and coupled with rigorous simulations carried out in AspenTech Aspen Plus. The generated improved design alternatives allow lower investment costs, and up to 25% energy savings.