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Table 1 Key features of reported simulation studies in biodiesel production

From: An overview to process design, simulation and sustainability evaluation of biodiesel production

Feed definition (model compound)

Production process

Thermo-physical properties estimation and thermodynamic model

Reactor module

Plant capacity (tons/year)

Operation mode

Simulation tool

Refs.

Triolein

Homogenous and heterogeneous alkali-catalysed

–

Batch

7260

Batch

SuperPro Designer

[29]

Pure triolien + oleic acid

Alkali and acid-catalysed processes

NRTL and UNIQUAC-LLE

Yield

8000

Continuous

Aspen HYSYS

[31]

Pure triolien + oleic acid

Alkali, acid, heterogeneous acid-catalysed and supercritical processes

NRTL, UNIFAC-LLE and UNIFAC-VLE

Yield

8000

Continuous

Aspen HYSYS

[22]

Triolein and trilinolein

Supercritical process

NRTL and UNIFAC with Redlich–Kwong equation of state

Yield

8000

Continuous

Aspen PLUS

[43]

Triolein, tripalmitin and trilinolein

Supercritical with power cogeneration process

UNIFAC and Soave–Redlich–Kwong equations of state

–

2780 and 16,550

Continuous

CHEMCAD

[44]

Triolein

Enzyme-catalyed process

NRTL and UNIFAC-DMD

Stoichiometric

8000 and 200,000

Continuous

Aspen PLUS

[23]

Triolein, monoolein, stearic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid

Enzyme-catalysed process

NRTL and UNIFAC

Stoichiometric

6482

Continuous

Aspen PLUS

[19]

Tripalmitin, tristearin, triolein, trilinolein and trilinolenin; palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid

Alkali-catalysed process

NRTL

Conversion

64,000

Continuous

Aspen HYSYS

[20]

Triolein, diolein, monoolein

Enzymatic process

NRTL and UNIFAC-DMD

Kinetic (CSTR)

11,200

Continues

Aspen HYSYS

[45]