New High-Throughput Reactor for Biomass Valorisation

The development of an innovative and sustainable high-throughput reaction platform allows to optimize a wide range of chemical processes (materials synthesis, catalysis, among others) to tackle the Green Deal. This tool unifies for the first time the benefits of mechanical energy, thermal and pressure activation, continuous flow with an induction in-situ heating system, facilitating the incorporation of inputs (liquids, solids and gases) with controlled pressure.

As result of synergistic effect of this simultaneous activation, this technology will: i) shorten reaction times; ii) decrease temperature; iii) improve reactions kinetics as mass transfer limitations are reduced; iv) minimize the use of solvents; v) decrease the reaction steps; v) increase volume treated, enabling a real scale-up; and vi) enhance the yields and/or selectivity [1-3].

In the present communication, the new high-throughput reactor is used for the synthesis of Calcium diglyceroxide (CaDG), minimizing the reaction steps and cost, to obtain a pure CaDG. This heterogeneous catalyst is used for biodiesel production and valorise the glycerol produced. An efficient synthesis protocol of CaDG has been patented, requiring shorter time, without heating and no need of solvents [4]. The transesterification reaction of used and refined vegetable oils has also been optimised with CaDG as solid catalyst, using the same new reactor that promotes the oil-methanol mixing, minimizing the mass transfer problems associated to the immiscibility of reactants [5]. Low methanol:oil ratios and low temperature can be used with the high-throughput reactor even with used oils and in plant pilot scale under flow conditions [6].