Continuous reciprocating plate and packed bed multiphase reactors in biodiesel production: Advancements and challenges

Abstract

Biodiesel, a renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fossil fuels, has gained significant attention over the last two decades. Continuous production of biodiesel offers efficiency, productivity, and scalability advantages. This paper provides a concise overview of continuous reactor systems for biodiesel production, focusing on two specific systems-the reciprocating plate reactor and the packed bed reactor-subjects of the authors' extensive research. A thorough comparison of these reactors, spanning biodiesel yield, reaction kinetics, and conversion efficiency, underscores their advantages. The reciprocating plate reactor demonstrates superior mixing characteristics, which improve mass transfer and reaction kinetics. Conversely, the packed bed reactor offers a higher catalyst-to-feedstock ratio and longer residence time, enhancing conversion efficiency. Both reactors exhibit favourable performance for continuous biodiesel production. This research can contribute to understanding continuous biodiesel production using innovative reactor designs. The comparative analysis between the reciprocating plate and packed bed reactors offers valuable insights for process optimization and reactor selection based on specific requirements such as feedstock availability, reaction kinetics, and economic considerations. These insights pave the way for the implementation of sustainable and efficient biodiesel production processes in the future.