Feasibility Study of Crude Glycerol Purification Processes

Priyanka Arora, Chinmoy Baroi, Ajay Dalai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Glycerol is produced as a by-product of the transesterification of vegetable oils and fats with methanol in the presence of a suitable catalyst (Biodiesel Production Process). In this study, the economic and environmental impacts of crude glycerol purification processes (i.e. vacuum distillation and membrane separation) are studied and compared. Aspen Plus v. 8.2 is employed to obtain mass and energy balance for crude glycerol purification processes. Based on the study, it is concluded that the processes are economically profitable, when the selling price of the purified glycerol is $1.98/kg. Membrane process is more profitable as compared to the vacuum distillation and has less environmental impact.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)60-63
JournalJournal of Basic and Applied Engineering Research
Volume2
Issue number1
StatePublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

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