THE ELECTROCHEMICAL HYDROGENATION OF EDIBLE OILS WITH HYDROGEN GAS IN A SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE REACTOR

摘要

1. The number of double bonds in soybean oil can be reduced at a moderate temperature using an electrochemical hydrogenation method and a solid polymer electrolyte, fixed-bed flow reactor. 1.1 Either H_2O or H_2 can be utilized as the anode feed to the reactor. 2. The reactor operates at a high current density (0.1=0.3 A/cm~2) and the current efficiency for oil hydrogenation is high. 3. The trans isomer content of electrochemically hydrogenated oil products is low. 4. Solid Fat Content curves indicate that electrochemically hydrogenated oils may be amenable to shortening basestocks and liquid margarines. 5. Blending of an electrochemically hydrogenated oil (15% IV 100) with 85% starting oil produced a liquid margarine-type product. 6. From a preliminary economic analysis - the capital and operating costs for the electrochemical hydrogenation process are low and competitive with traditional chemical catalytic methods. 6.1 1.8￠ per pound for an IV 95 oil, using H_2 as the anode feed. 6.2 2.4￠ per pound for an IV 95 oil, using H_2O as the anode feed and source for H.