Kinetic studies of the ultrasonic epoxidation of fatty acid methyl esters

Author

Mohanram Jayaram

Abstract

"Epoxidized soybean oil is a promising feedstock for the production of polymers from a renewable energy source. Enhancements to the basic process productivity will help meet the increased demand for these materials. This work studies the effect of power ultrasound on the production of epoxy from methyl soyate using a peracid as an oxygen carrier.

Reducing the solvent to ester ratio decreases the probability of ring opening. Controlling the peracid level at set values also enhances the epoxidation rate. An increase in peracetic acid addition rate from 2 ml/min to 4 ml/min, increased the epoxidation rate by 11 percent for both molar ratios of toluene to methyl soyate at 27 and 15. The combination of reducing the molar ratio of toluene to methyl soyate from 27 to 15 and increasing the peracetic acid feed rate from 2 ml/min to 4 ml/min, increased the epoxidation rate by 20 percent.

Reactors with conventional agitators are kinetically controlled at agitator speeds in excess of 300 RPM when peracetic acid is the oxygen carrier. Ultrasonic agitation provides comparable performance. Epoxidation rates increase when using perbenzoic acid as the oxygen carrier and are even higher with m-chloroperbenzoic acid. Reactors with conventional agitation require excessive agitation speeds to overcome mass transfer limitations when using the perbenzoic acid oxygen carriers. Power ultrasound overcomes the mass transfer limitations with perbenzoic acid carriers. Kinetic epoxidation rates with m-chloroperbenzoic acid were six times the rate with peracetic acid as oxygen carrier when using power ultrasound. Similarly, perbenzoic acid rates were twice those with peracetic acid using ultrasound"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Sitton, Oliver C., 1951-

Committee Member(s)

Book, Neil L.
Stoffer, James O.

Department(s)

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Chemical Engineering

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Spring 2001

Pagination

x, 65 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 62-64).

Rights

© 2001 Mohanram Jayaram, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 7873

Print OCLC #

46860789

Link to Catalog Record

Electronic access to the full-text of this document is restricted to Missouri S&T users. Otherwise, request this publication directly from Missouri S&T Library or contact your local library.

Recommended Citation

Jayaram, Mohanram, "Kinetic studies of the ultrasonic epoxidation of fatty acid methyl esters" (2001). Masters Theses. 2006.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses/2006