Glycerin and Biodiesel Demethylation

Glycerin Treatment Advantages - GL95& MC12

Glycerin handling: The main biodiesel by-product we commonly call glycerin, or biodiesel bottoms, is actually a mix of glycerin, methanol, soap, salts, and oils. This glycerin, in its normal liquid form, can be challenging to dispose of and messy to handle. The GL95 turns this challenge into an opportunity.

Methanol recovery: The glycerin by-product left over from the biodiesel reaction will contain methanol, approximately 23% by volume. This methanol is fully dissolved and cannot be separated by settling. The GL95 & MC12 separate the residual methanol from the glycerin by employing heat, evaporation, agitation, and vacuum. The vaporized methanol is then condensed back into liquid “wet” methanol that is approximately 97% pure. This methanol is valuable. It cannot be used immediately to make more biodiesel without first having the residual water removed. (Ask us about our Lamathen methanol purifier!)

‍Saponification: After the methanol has been removed, the GL95 uses a lye and water solution to convert the remaining oils of the glycerin into soap. The resulting blocks are easy to handle and often qualify for simple disposal as solid waste. Alternatively, saponification can be by-passed leaving a thinner liquid soap mixture which can be used as a composting accelerant.

Biodiesel Treatment Advantages – BD380 & MC12

ASTM
Compliance and methanol recovery: biodiesel that is treated by a drywash system like the SpringPro T76 will have more methanol present in it than is required by the specifications of the ASTM-D6751 standards. Though this additional methanol rarely impacts the performance of a diesel engine, a business cannot legally sell this biodiesel without meeting this standard. By removing and recapturing your methanol from your biodiesel in the BD380, you will drop this additional methanol out of your biodiesel coming closer or achieving that goal while simultaneously recovering the wasted methanol as a separate liquid.
* Springboard Biodiesel also makes the Lamothen methanol purifier which will bring the methanol to a purity of 99.8 percent, a level that will enable reuse of the methanol in the biodiesel production process.Contact Springboard Biodiesel directly if you are interested in pricing or have questions regarding the Glycerin and Biodiesel Demethylation Group.