Supercritical hydrogenation processes: Experimental results on the fluid phase behavior of binary and ternary mixtures of hydrogen, propane and tripalmitin

L.J. ROVETTO; S.B. BOTTINI; E.A. BRIGNOLE; C.J. PETERS

JOURNAL OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS

Elsevier

Año: 2003 vol. 25 p. 165 - 176

0896-8446

The problems of low reaction rate and cis /trans isomerization encountered in the gas/liquid catalyzed hydrogenation of vegetable oils can be overcome by using a supercritical fluid to bring the reactive mixture into a homogeneous phase. For that purpose, experimental phase equilibrium data on mixtures of high molecular weight substrates with hydrogen and a supercritical fluid are needed in order to evaluate optimum process conditions. In this work vapor/liquid and liquid/liquid equilibria in mixtures of hydrogen/propane/tripalmitin have been measured. A temperature region between 323 and 453 K, and pressures up to 15 MPa were covered.