Chemie Ingenieur Technik, Vol.89, No.10, 1367-1373, 2017
Intensification of Lipase-Catalyzed Esterification using Ultrasound: Process Engineering Perspectives
The effect of cavitating ultrasound (US, 24 kHz) on the lipase-catalyzed esterification of oleic acid with 1-hexanol and 1-decanol is studied and required conditions to intensify the activity of lipase enzyme are presented. US remarkably improves the conversion rate compared to non-sonicated conditions. The influence of relevant operating parameters (amplitude, temperature, and pulsed US) on the reaction is studied. This has led to the development of strategies to operate an for energy-efficient operation of an enzyme-catalyzed ultrasonic reactor. A concept for large-scale application of the discovered phenomenon is also presented.