Glycerol and bioglycerol conversion in supercritical water for hydrogen production.

ABSTRACT

Catalytic transesterification of vegetable oils leads to biodiesel and an alkaline feed (bioglycerol and organic residues, such as esters, alcohols. . .). The conversion ofbioglycerol into valuable organic molecules represents a sustainable industrial process leading to the valorization of a renewable organic resource. The physicochemical properties in the supercritical domain (T > 374 degrees C, P > 22.1 MPa) transform water into a solvent for organics and a reactant favouring radical reactions. In this context, the conversion ofbioglycerol in supercritical water (SCW) into platform molecules and/or high energetic gases (hydrogen, hydrocarbons) could represent an interesting valorization process. The reported research results concern the conversion of bioglycerol compared to pure glycerol. The experiments have been done in batch autoclaves (5 ml and 500 ml stirred). Solutions of pure (5 or 10 wt%) and crude (3.5 wt%) glycerol have been processed with or without catalyst (K2CO3 1.5 wt%) in the range of 450-600 degrees C. The molecular formula of bioglycerol was determined as C4.3H9.7O1.8Na0.1Si0.08. Glycerol was partially decomposed in the batch systems during the heating (42% before reaching 420 degrees C) and some intermediates (propanediol, ethylene glycol . . .) were quantified, leading to a proposition of a reaction pathway. Acrolein, a valuable platform molecule, was mainly produced in the absence of catalyst. No solid phase was recovered after SCW conversion of pure and bioglycerol in batch reactors. The optimal parameters for gasification were 600 degrees C, 25 MPa for bioglycerol and 525 degrees C, 25 MPa, for pure glycerol. In these operating conditions, 1 kg of pure or bioglycerol leads to 15 and, respectively, 10 mol of hydrogen. Supercritical water gasification of crude glycerol favoured the generation of light hydrocarbons, while pure glycerol promoted H2 production. SCW conversion of glycerol (pure and crude) allows to obtain simultaneously energetic gases (respectively 2600 and 4000 kcal/kg glycerol) and valuable platform molecules.