Researchers at Loughborough University in the UK have developed a process to convert crude glycerol – a by-product of the biodiesel industry – into a bio-derived solvent.
Led by chemistry specialists Dr Adriano Randi and Prof Benjamin Buckley, the R3V tech team had developed a solvent for use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and industrial sectors, and as a fuel additive, a 13 October report on the university’s website said.
The company is currently scaling its laboratory-based process from gram-scale experiments to kg/hour production and has recently been awarded an Innovate UK grant to build and trial a pilot demonstrator at a biodiesel plant, according to the report.
“I saw this project as a big opportunity to work on something that can make a difference to the planet, the environment, and society,” said Dr Randi, CEO and co-founder of R3V Tech.
“I’d like to see every biodiesel company using this process one day.”
According to the company, every tonne of biodiesel currently produced also results in around 100kg of crude glycerol.
However, crude glycerol is difficult to recycle as it is contaminated with leftover chemicals and impurities from fuel production.
As a result, most biodiesel producers sold it cheaply to companies that refined it and often used the refined material to produce solketal – a bio-derived solvent and fuel additive with an estimated global market value of US$78bn, the report said.
This process often involves shipping crude glycerol – often overseas – which generates emissions, according to the report.
R3V Tech said its electrochemical process would enable biodiesel producers to convert crude glycerol directly into solketal on site, eliminating refining costs, even at small scale.
The conversion process begins by filtering crude glycerol and mixing it into a prepared solution, which is then saturated with carbon dioxide.
The mixture is then drawn through an electrochemical reactor, where electricity drives a chemical reaction that transforms the waste material into solketal, which is collected in liquid form.
R3V Tech said it was scaling its electrochemical reactor and planned to develop a self-contained, modular unit housing the reactor and supporting components for commercial application.
