Crude Glycerine 80% (Animal Fat/Brazil Origin)

Brief Overview

The crude glycerine is defined by its viscous consistency, natural sweetness, and color range of light yellow to dark brown. It is derived from natural and synthetic feedstocks and is found in animal fats as well as vegetable oils and fats in the form of triglycerides. This byproduct comes from oleochemical and biodiesel production. The mandatory necessity of switching to renewable energy sources has led to a significant increase in the production of biodiesel, which in turn has increased the production of crude glycerine. The standards for crude glycerine usually ask for an 80% glycerine concentration; the remainder is made up of contaminants such water, methanol, soap, catalyst, salts, and non-glycerine organic materials.

Manufacturing Process

Degumming

Degumming is a crucial step in refining vegetable oil, involving the centrifugal removal of phosphatides. Water is added to precipitate dissolved phosphatides, making them heavier and efficiently separated through centrifugation, eliminating impurities and enhancing oil quality. 

Deacidification

Deacidification, a subsequent phase, uses solvent extraction to reduce free fatty acid concentration in vegetable oils. Methanol dissolves these acids, crucial for preventing oil oxidation and unpleasant odors, imperative for prolonged storage and refining.

Transeferication/Saponification

Following deacidification, the deacidified oil undergoes transesterification/saponification, involving hydrolysis. This process, under elevated temperature and pressure with water, breaks down triglyceride chains into glycerol/glycerine and fatty acids. This step not only makes glycerine accessible for extraction but also sets the stage for further refining.

Feedstock

Crude glycerine boasts a high metabolizable–digestible energy ratio akin to that of soybean oil, serving as a valuable energy source for farms engaged in the breeding of cattle and other herbivorous animals.

Chemical intermediate

Residual crude glycerine undergoes thermochemical transformations, serving as an intermediary chemical in the production process. The application of hydrogenolysis is employed to convert crude glycerine into the end product, propylene glycol. This compound, recognized for its dual functionality as both an antifreeze agent and a fuel additive, finds utility in methanol-fueled vehicles.

Composting

By a variety of biological transformations, crude glycerine can be utilized in composting. When crude glycerine is fermented with the bacteria Anaerobiospirillum succinic, succinic acid is the end product. Further research also showed that algal fermentation may produce omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from crude glycerine.