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Upgrading the Glycerol from Biodiesel Production as a Source of Energy Carriers and Chemicals—A Technological Review for Three Chemical Pathways

Author

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  • Abel Rodrigues

    (INIAV, Ministry of Agriculture, 2780-159 Oeiras, Portugal
    MARETEC—Research Center, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • João Carlos Bordado

    (CERENA—Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Rui Galhano dos Santos

    (CERENA—Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

Glycerol is a by-product of biodiesel obtained from biomass, accounting for 10% of the biodiesel production. In the context of a green economy, aiming for a reduction of the emission of atmospheric greenhouse gases emissions, the demand of biodiesel is expected to increase vastly, in parallel with a side glut supply of glycerol. Given the high cost of biodiesel compared with its fossil congener, upgrading of glycerol into added-value products can represent a secondary income source and turn the production of such alternative fuels economically sustainable in the long term. The glycerol obtained as by-product of biodiesel from biomass is in a crude form and must be purified. Some industrial solutions and applications were therein geared. The survey presented in this work, based on a reviewing of the existing literature, examines three routes for the valuing glycerol into energy carriers and chemicals, namely, carbonation, acylation, and steam reforming to hydrogen. The latter is embodied of great interest and importance, insofar that hydrogen by itself is considered as straighforward clean fuel for transportation uses, due to its high calorific power and to recent advances in fuel cells. We also have focused on the chain value from biomass to energies carriers through these pathways.

Suggested Citation

  • Abel Rodrigues & João Carlos Bordado & Rui Galhano dos Santos, 2017. "Upgrading the Glycerol from Biodiesel Production as a Source of Energy Carriers and Chemicals—A Technological Review for Three Chemical Pathways," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-36, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:11:p:1817-:d:118235
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tan, H.W. & Abdul Aziz, A.R. & Aroua, M.K., 2013. "Glycerol production and its applications as a raw material: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 118-127.
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    3. He, Quan (Sophia) & McNutt, Josiah & Yang, Jie, 2017. "Utilization of the residual glycerol from biodiesel production for renewable energy generation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 63-76.
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    5. Silva, Joel M. & Soria, M.A. & Madeira, Luis M., 2015. "Challenges and strategies for optimization of glycerol steam reforming process," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1187-1213.
    6. Ardi, M.S. & Aroua, M.K. & Hashim, N. Awanis, 2015. "Progress, prospect and challenges in glycerol purification process: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1164-1173.
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    3. Stanislaw Szwaja & Michal Gruca & Michal Pyrc & Romualdas Juknelevičius, 2021. "Performance and Exhaust Emissions of a Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Engine Fed with Butanol–Glycerol Blend," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.
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    6. Robert White & Freddy Segundo Navarro-Pineda & Timothy Cockerill & Valerie Dupont & Julio César Sacramento Rivero, 2019. "Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Impacts Analysis of Direct Methanation of Glycerol to Bio-Synthetic Natural Gas at a Biodiesel Refinery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, February.
    7. Savvas L. Douvartzides & Nikolaos D. Charisiou & Kyriakos N. Papageridis & Maria A. Goula, 2019. "Green Diesel: Biomass Feedstocks, Production Technologies, Catalytic Research, Fuel Properties and Performance in Compression Ignition Internal Combustion Engines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-41, February.
    8. Muhammad Harussani Moklis & Shou Cheng & Jeffrey S. Cross, 2023. "Current and Future Trends for Crude Glycerol Upgrading to High Value-Added Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-30, February.
    9. Michal Gruca & Michal Pyrc & Magdalena Szwaja & Stanislaw Szwaja, 2020. "Effective Combustion of Glycerol in a Compression Ignition Engine Equipped with Double Direct Fuel Injection," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Kabir A. Mamun & F. R. Islam & R. Haque & Aneesh A. Chand & Kushal A. Prasad & Krishneel K. Goundar & Krishneel Prakash & Sidharth Maharaj, 2022. "Systematic Modeling and Analysis of On-Board Vehicle Integrated Novel Hybrid Renewable Energy System with Storage for Electric Vehicles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-33, February.
    11. Gojun, Martin & Šalić, Anita & Zelić, Bruno, 2021. "Integrated microsystems for lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production and glycerol removal by extraction or ultrafiltration," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 213-221.
    12. Tamošiūnas, Andrius & Gimžauskaitė, Dovilė & Uscila, Rolandas & Aikas, Mindaugas, 2019. "Thermal arc plasma gasification of waste glycerol to syngas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    13. K. A. Viraj Miyuranga & Udara S. P. R. Arachchige & Randika A. Jayasinghe & Gamunu Samarakoon, 2022. "Purification of Residual Glycerol from Biodiesel Production as a Value-Added Raw Material for Glycerolysis of Free Fatty Acids in Waste Cooking Oil," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-20, November.
    14. Prasad, Salvin S. & Singh, Anirudh & Prasad, Surendra, 2020. "Degummed Pongamia oil – Ethanol microemulsions as novel alternative CI engine fuels for remote Small Island Developing States: Preparation, characterization, engine performance and emissions character," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 401-411.

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