Crude Glycerine 80% (Soya/Argentina Origin)

Brief Overview

Crude glycerine, a naturally sweet and viscous liquid, exhibits hues ranging from light yellow to dark brown. It represents the unrefined counterpart of glycerine and is derived from diverse sources, including both natural and chemical feedstocks. Found originally in vegetable oils, fats, and animal fats in the form of triglycerides, crude glycerine emerges as a byproduct from biodiesel manufacturing plants and oleochemical industries. The growing emphasis on renewable energy, particularly the increased production of biodiesel, has led to a concurrent rise in crude glycerine production. Specifications for crude glycerine commonly include an 80% glycerine composition, with the remaining content comprising impurities such as methanol, soap, catalyst, salts, non-glycerine organic matter, and water.

Manufacturing Process

Degumming

Degumming is a critical step in refining vegetable oil, involving the centrifugal removal of phosphatides. The addition of water prompts the precipitation of phosphatides dissolved in the oil, which, due to their increased water content, become heavier and are efficiently separated through centrifugation. This process eliminates impurities, enhancing the oil's quality and extending its storage life.

Deacidification

Deacidification, a subsequent phase, employs solvent extraction to reduce the concentration of free fatty acids in vegetable oils. Methanol is introduced to dissolve free fatty acids, crucial for preventing oil oxidation and unpleasant odors. The removal of these compounds is imperative for prolonged storage and refining.

Transeferication/Saponification

Following deacidification, the deacidified oil undergoes transesterification/saponification, involving hydrolysis. This process, conducted under elevated temperature and pressure with the aid of 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

The high metabolizable–digestible energy ratio of crude glycerine is about the same as that of soybean oil. Glycerine serves as a source of energy for farms that raise cattle and other herbivorous animals.

Chemical intermediate

By thermochemical transformations, the leftover crude glycerine is used as an intermediate chemical. Hydrogenolysis is the procedure used to convert crude glycerine into the product propylene glycol. In automobiles powered by methanol, propylene glycol is used as a fuel additive and as an antifreeze substance.

Composting

Various biological transformations allow for the use of crude glycerine in composting. Anaerobiospirillum succinic, a bacteria, ferments crude glycerine to create succinic acid as the end product. Furthermore, additional investigation has revealed that the fermentation of algae might produce omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from crude glycerine.