Fuel Production

Abstract

An apparatus that includes a first reactor and a return mechanism. The first reactor has an inlet to receive a mixture comprising a first reactant, a second reactant, a reaction product, and an inert solvent that dissolves at least a portion of the first and second reactants, an enzyme to facilitate a reaction between the first and second reactants to generate more reaction product, and an outlet to output the reaction product, including the reaction product received at the inlet and the reaction product generated from the reaction between the first and second reactants. The return mechanism sends at least a portion of the reaction product from the outlet back to the inlet.

1 . A system for generating alkyl ester comprising:
 a cartridge to receive a mixture comprising a first reactant and a second reactant, the cartridge including an enzyme to facilitate a reaction between the first and second reactants to generate a reaction product, the cartridge having an identifier; and   a controller to control an operation condition of the system based on the identifier on the cartridge.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  in which the reaction product comprises alkyl ester. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  in which the enzyme comprises a lipase. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  in which the controller controls a speed of a pump based on the identifier, in which the speed of the pump affects the speed in which the solution passes through the cartridge. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  in which the controller controls a heater based on the identifier, in which the heater affects a temperature of the solution. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  in which the controller determines when to send a signal indicating that the cartridge needs to be replaced based on the identifier. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus comprising:
 a cartridge including a lipase, the cartridge configured to be coupled to an alkyl ester generator that comprises
 a mixer to mix an oil source and a primary alcohol or a secondary alcohol in an organic solvent to form a solution that is passed through the cartridge, in which the oil source includes a triglyceride and the lipase facilitates a reaction between the triglyceride and the primary alcohol or the secondary alcohol to generate an alkyl ester, in which the solution does not undergo phase separation throughout the reaction and glycerol is produced as a by-product, 
 an evaporator to remove the organic solvent and unreacted primary alcohol or secondary alcohol, 
 a phase separator to separate the alkyl ester from the glycerol, and 
 a second separator to separate the alkyl ester from unreacted oil source. 
   
   
   
       8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a cartridge including a lipase, the cartridge configured to be coupled to an alkyl ester generator that comprises
 a mixer to mix an oil source and a primary alcohol or a secondary alcohol in an organic solvent to form a solution that is passed through the cartridge, in which the oil source includes a carboxylic acid and the lipase facilitates a reaction between the carboxylic acid and the primary alcohol or the secondary alcohol to generate an alkyl ester, in which the solution does not undergo phase separation throughout the reaction and water is produced as a by-product, 
 an evaporator to remove the organic solvent and unreacted primary alcohol or secondary alcohol, and 
 a separator to separate the alkyl ester from unreacted oil source. 
   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  in which the separator comprises a short-path evaporator. 
   
   
       10 . A method comprising:
 inserting a cartridge into an alkyl ester generator, the cartridge having an inlet, and outlet, and an enzyme positioned between the inlet and the outlet;   reading information encoded on the cartridge;   controlling an operation of the alkyl ester generator based on the information.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  in which controlling an operation of the alkyl ester generator comprises controlling at least one of temperature and flow rate of a solution flowing into the inlet of the cartridge.