Parabenizamos o Pesquisador Visitante do PRH 48.1/UFPE/ANP/FINEP, Dr. Allan de Almeida Albuquerque, que participarou do II Simpósio de Petróleo e Gás do Onshore Brasileiro 2020 entre os dias 25 a 26 de novembro de 2020. O evento foi organizado pelo PRH 55.1/UFERSA/ANP/FINEP “Sustentabilidade na indústria de petróleo, gás natural e biocombustíveis” de forma virtual.
Dr. Allan apresentou a keynote “Reactive separation processes applied to biodiesel production: phase equilibrium, design, optimization and techno-economic assessment” dentro da plenária de Bicombustíveis realizada no dia 25 de novembro de 2020. A plenária e a keynote podem ser acessadas no Youtube via canal do PRH-55.1 – UFERSA.
Descrição: This work was proposed to investigate innovative reactive separation processes (RSP) applied for biodiesel production from residual oil and fats (ROF) and crude tall oil (CTO) and to develop a phase equilibrium (PE) modeling for the components involved. Firstly, two processes based on optimized free fatty acids (FFA) separation from ROF were investigated including a set of reactor/distillation column and a reactive distillation column (RDC). Both processes presented similar economic results. Secondly, thermophysical properties for acylglycerols were estimated. PE databanks were built and a modeling involving components from biodiesel reactions was proposed using the Non-random two-liquid (NRTL) model. A validation based on simulation of experiments was also carried out. Thirdly, three SAC processes were investigated based on: simultaneous esterification and transesterification reactions using a catalytic distillation column (CDC) and a catalytic absorption column (CAC); and a hydro-esterification process. CDC and CAC processes were more economical and environmentally friendly. CDC was the optimal process. A global optimization and a final design for CDC process were proposed. Finally, a solid acid-catalyzed (SAC) process for biodiesel production from CTO was developed. A base case and an alternative process for CTO purification from three and four distillation columns, respectively, were investigated. The alternative process was the unique techno-economic feasible and was evaluated for biodiesel production by SAC process using a CDC and a catalytic divided-wall column. CDC process was the unique technically feasible. This was globally optimized and flexibilized. Therefore, RSP proved to be useful unit operations to obtain more economical and eco-friendly biodiesel production processes.