Multiobjective optimization of ultrasound intensified and ionic liquid catalyzed in situ algal biodiesel production considering economic, environmental and safety indicators

Process Simulation and Optimization on Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising alternative compounds that enable the development of technologies based on their unique properties as solvents or catalysts. These technologies require integrated product and process designs to select ILs with optimal process performances at an industrial scale to promote cost-effective and sustainable technologies. The digital era and multiscale research methodologies have changed the paradigm from experiment-oriented to hybrid experimental-computational developments guided by process engineering. This Review summarizes the relevant contributions (>300 research papers) of process simulations to advance IL-based technology developments by guiding experimental research efforts and enhancing industrial transferability. Robust simulation methodologies, mostly based on predictive COSMO-SAC/RS and UNIFAC models in Aspen Plus software, were applied to analyze key IL applications: physical and chemical CO2 capture, CO2 conversion, gas separation, liquid-liquid extraction, extractive distillation, refrigeration cycles, and biorefinery. The contributions concern the IL selection criteria, operational unit design, equipment sizing, technoeconomic and environmental analyses, and process optimization to promote the competitiveness of the proposed IL-based technologies. Process simulation revealed that multiscale research strategies enable advancement in the technological development of IL applications by focusing research efforts to overcome the limitations and exploit the excellent properties of ILs.

Design and Synthesis of New Sulfonic Acid Functionalized Ionic Liquids as Catalysts for Esterification of Fatty Acids with Bioethanol

In this study, three types of sulfonic acid group functionalized ionic liquids (SAILs) with a different number of catalytic groups and lipophilicity were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, NMR, and MS analyses. Their catalytic activities were studied in a model esterification of oleic acid with ethanol; heating in a microwave reactor was also used. The experimental results indicated that SAIL, with the lipophilic alkyl chain, performed the best due to its increased solubility in the reaction mixture. Microwave heating was found to be more effective than conventional heating. Recycling experiments show that these novel SAILs can be reused without significant loss of the catalytic activity.