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 first subsystem including
 a first reactor having
 a first inlet to receive a first mixture comprising a first reactant, a second reactant, and an inert solvent to dissolve the first and second reactants, 
 a first enzyme to facilitate a reaction between the first and second reactants to generate a reaction product, and 
 a first outlet to output the reaction product, the inert solvent, and other components; and 
 
   a second subsystem including
 a second reactor having
 a second inlet to receive a second mixture comprising additional second reactant, an inert solvent, at least a portion of the reaction product, and the other components from the first outlet, 
 a second enzyme to facilitate a reaction between the second reactant and the other components to generate more reaction product, and 
 a second outlet to output the reaction product, including the reaction product received at the inlet of the second inlet and the reaction product generated from the reaction between second reactant and the other components. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  in which the reaction product comprises alkyl ester. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  also comprising a return mechanism to send at least a portion of the alkyl ester from the first outlet back to the first inlet. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2  also comprising a return mechanism to send at least a portion of the alkyl ester from the second outlet back to the first inlet. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2  in which the second subsystem comprises a separator to remove at least a portion of components other than alkyl ester from a first solution output from the second outlet to obtain a second solution that has at least 90% by weight of alkyl ester. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  in which the separator comprises an evaporator. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 5  in which the separator comprises a liquid-liquid separator. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 2  in which the first subsystem comprises a separator to remove at least a portion of components other than alkyl ester from a first solution output from the first outlet to obtain a second solution that has a higher concentration of alkyl ester than the first solution. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8  in which the separator comprises an evaporator. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  in which the separator comprises a liquid-liquid separator. 
   
   
       11 . A system for generating alkyl ester comprising:
 a first subsystem including
 a first reactor having
 a first pipeline to transmit a first mixture comprising a first reactant, a second reactant, an inert solvent, and alkyl ester that are in a homogeneous state, 
 a first coupler to receive a first cartridge having
 a first inlet to receive the mixture from the first pipeline, 
 a first enzyme to facilitate a reaction between the first and second reactants to generate alkyl ester, and 
 a first outlet to output the alkyl ester, the solvent, and other components; and 
 
 
   a second subsystem including
 a second reactor having
 a second pipeline transmit a second mixture comprising additional second reactant, inert solvent, and at least a portion of the alkyl ester and the other components from the first outlet, 
 a second coupler to receive a second cartridge having
 a second inlet to receive the mixture from the second pipeline, 
 a second enzyme to facilitate a reaction between the second reactant and the other components to generate more alkyl ester, and 
 a second outlet to output the alkyl ester.