(454c) Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Biodiesel Fuels Produced From Soybean Oil With Honeycomb Monolithic Catalysts

Soybean oil as a representative of liquid vegetable oils is converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in the presence of methanol and formulated honeycomb monolithic catalysts via a transesterification process.  Monolithic catalysts were formulated by impregnating honeycomb g-alumina-wash-coated monolithic catalyst supports with various active metals.   Reversible conversion of soybean oil to FAME was in favor of decreased reaction temperatures with monolithic catalysts, but catalytic activities of monolithic catalysts decrease more steeply with decreased temperatures, as reaction duration increases.   Deactivated catalysts can be regenerated by heating them in atmosphere.  Multi-layers of various active metals impregnated onto a honeycomb monolithic catalyst support stabilize the monolithic catalyst and increase catalytic activities of the monolithic catalyst with increased reaction duration.  Order of loading catalytically active metals on monolithic catalyst supports affects stabilities and catalytic activities of honeycomb monolithic catalysts.  Calcium oxide appears to stabilize catalytic activities of formulated monolithic catalysts.  Repeatedly fluctuated conversion of soybean oil indicates that formulated monolithic catalysts are deactivated and regenerated repeatedly by themselves.