The phase equilibrium phenomenon in model hydrogenation of oleic acid

Hydrogenation is one of the most commonly practised types of reaction in industry. The processing of low or null price feedstock to produce energy through hydrogenation is an interesting solution for waste valorisation. The hydrogenation in CO2 atmosphere offers a series of advantages and facilitates the process by the dramatic reduction of normally harsh reaction conditions. The hydrogenation of natural feedstock with complex matrix is a challenging task and the examination of the phase equilibrium of this system is crucial to understand the phenomena driving the kinetics of the hydrogenation reaction. High pressure phase equilibrium modelling is a key method to design and to analyse the obtained data and helps to understand the hydrogenation reaction outcome. The increase of H2 pressure does not translate to the increase of hydrogen solubility in the liquid phase due to the significant decrease of CO2 solubility in oleic acid. The obtained data confirm that both thermodynamics and kinetics play an important role in the hydrogenation of cattle fat in the presence of CO2