Modeling Biodiesel Production and Purification – Towards a Predictive Tool

Biodiesel stay at the forefront of fuels for engines, as they are technically viable, economically competitive, socially responsible and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels. In order to optimize their use for different processes an accurate model is needed. In this work we apply a simple but reliable theoretically-based sound model, the soft-SAFT EoS, as a tool for the development, design, scale-up, and optimization of biodiesels production and purification processes, through the description of fatty acid esters/biodiesels thermodynamic properties. In order to validate the predictive ability of the approach pure compound model parameters were used to successfully predict the high pressure densities and viscosities for biodiesels. The key for the success of the simulation tool is the molecular ingredients built into the equation, allowing quantitative prediction versus experimental data. The same computational tool and procedures can be applied to several other industrial processes involving non-ideal mixtures.