HYDROESTERIFICATION PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BIODIESEL FROM WET MICROALGAE BIOMASS

摘要

The present invention relates to the preparation of carboxylic acid ester compounds, biodiesel (B), from microalgae, for use as biofuel in compression ignition. This objective is achieved by means of a wet microalgae biomass (MU) hydroesterification process comprising a hydrolysis step and an esterification step with heterogeneous catalysis. The wet microalgae biomass (MU) is obtained from a culture concentration process and is directly hydrolysed in a hydrolysis column (20). After hydrolysis, fatty acids (C), water (A) and raw glycerin (G) are obtained. The fatty acids (C) are esterified by reactive distillation in the presence of an impregnated heterogeneous catalyst (I).