Thermodynamics Research Center / ThermoML | Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data

ABSTRACT

Page 2 of 28 Due to excessive energy demand, there is depletion in fossil fuel reserves, and increased in the greenhouse effect and global warming which have their adverse impacts on the environment. Bio-butanol is one of the latest types of potential, economical biofuel which has shown a promising future, because of the superior properties. Biobutanol can be produced via an acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation process using solventogenic Clostridium bacteria. However, a fermentative approach of butanol production has inhibition of microbial activity (normally greater than 10g/L) and affects its production. To extract butanol from fermentation broth, there are various separation methods like Gas stripping, liquid-liquid extraction adsorption, membrane solvent extraction, pervaporation which may overcome these problems. Ionic liquids can be used as a novel extractant and could be a prospective solution in replace of conventional volatile, toxic solvents. In the present work, separation of butanol from an aqueous solution using tetradecyl (trihexyl) phosphonium bis2,4,4-trimethylpentyl-phosphinate ionic liquid THTDP[TMPP], oleyl alcohol (OA) and castor oil (CO) at ambient conditions (298 1 K) has been carried out. Experimental distribution coefficients (Kd) were observed in the order of IL (2.15-26.07) greater thanOleyl alcohol (1.55-4.84) greater thanCastor oil (1.49-3.84). The average maximum Kd value was obtained as 25.54 at 0.0695 mol.kg-1 initial butanol feed concentration for THTDP [TMPP] whereas 96.23% of butanol separation was observed. The average minimal solvent to feed ratio was estimated as 0.0057, THTDP [TMPP] less than 0.0705, OA less than 0.094, CO respectively. The average maximum diffusion coefficient values of extractant-diluents blend (DBuOHE-D) for butanol were found to be 2.931x10-11 m2.s-1 in THTDP [TMPP]-OA and 1.048x10-11 m2.s-1 in THTDP [TMPP]-CO respectively.