Congratulations to Brian H. Dennis, Richard E. Billo, Christopher R. Oliver, John W. Priest, Edward S. Kolesar, and Elinor Kolesar in the final patent award for a novel method to synthesize biodiesel using arrayed microfluidic devices and diffusive mixing.
Methods and Systems for Improved Biodiesel Production
US 20110060152 A1
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.