Glycerin to Glycol

Looks like a real problem.

http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=1123&q=&page=all

suggest you use google to search it out.

this is one string result

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=%22propylene+glycol%22+%2Bmake+%2Bglycerin&btnG=Search&meta=

Many people make it from glycerine and a visit to the library in the chemical engineering department of a college will probably give you some leads.

Great link aurizon! That article says it all.

During the Cultural Revolution, Mao thought it would be a good idea to decentralize steel production. A mill in every neighborhood. News flash -- the steel quality was not so great. Some products are just not meant to be manufactured at small scale. Glycol might be one of them?

I've never heard of making glycol out of biodiesel-based glycerin and I don't know enough about the chemistry behind it. There are quite a few other uses of glycerin - see http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_glycerin.html for some ideas - mostly soaps, but some other ideas. I read the article posted above (about the glut of glycerin on the market) - I can see why the old-timers in glycerin production are getting miffed. I think everyone agrees we need to find something to do with all of that gylcerin!

Suggest you contact Dr. Suppes, professor of chemical engineering, University of Missouri at Columbia, MO. He is doing research on this subject.

Here's a newswise article

I couldn't figure out a link

Aug 11 2005
Contact:Jeffrey Neu
Sr. Information Specialist
573-882-3346
NeuJ@missouri.edu

New Process Developed to Make Biodiesel Production Cheaper for Manufacturers

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- In recent months, President Bush has pushed an energy plan that calls for an increase in the production of alternative fuels like biodiesel. In 1999, biodiesel producers sold only 500,000 gallons of fuel, but last year, 30 million gallons were sold. Still, that represents only a fraction of fuel used in the United States. Now, a researcher at the University of Missouri-Columbia is working to make biodiesel manufacturing more profitable for producers and more attractive to consumers.

Galen Suppes, an MU chemical engineering professor and chief science officer of the MU-based Renewable Alternatives, has developed a process for converting glycerin, a byproduct of the biodiesel production process, into propylene glycol. Propylene glycol can be used as nontoxic antifreeze for automobiles. Currently, ethylene glycol is prominently used in vehicular antifreeze and is both toxic and made from petroleum. Suppes said the new propylene glycol product will meet every performance standard, is made from domestic soybeans and is nontoxic. While other research groups are involved in this topic, Suppes said his process works at a lower pressure and temperature than the other groups, and this process creates a higher yield.

"At best, right now biodiesel production is only part of the solution," Suppes said. "Current biodiesel production in the United States is about 0.03 billion gallons per year as compared to distillate fuel oil consumption of 57 billion gallons per year. We believe this technology will encourage and attract more companies and plants to produce propylene glycol, a cheaper and environmentally safer product."

Suppes said this technology can reduce the cost of biodiesel production by as much as $0.40 per gallon of biodiesel. The market for propylene glycol already is established, with a billion pounds produced a year.

"The price of propylene glycol is quite high while glycerin¿s price is low, so based on the low cost of feed stock and high value of propylene glycol, the process appears to be most profitable," Suppes said. "The consumers want antifreeze that is both renewable and made from biomass rather than petroleum from which propylene glycol currently is produced, as well as nontoxic."

Right now, Renewable Alternatives is licensing this technology to three biodiesel plants, with a fourth one in the works. The National Science Foundation and Missouri Soybean Farmers are helping fund the research.
-30-

On the Net:
University of Missouri
College of Engineering

©Curators of the University of Missouri
Published by the MU News Bureau
329 Jesse Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
news@missouri.edu

I recall reading an article about a corvette modified for racing (about 10 years ago). Because of radiator size limitations, to support the 800 or so hp engine, they used a propylene glycol cooling system with a de-hydrator to keep the propylene dry. It operated at atmospheric pressure and ran at close to 300 degrees -- but below the boiling point for atmospheric propylene glycol. The engine running at a higher temperature was more efficient. Heat dissipation through the radiator was better due to the higher coolant temperature. Engine heat dissipation was better due to the propylene not flashing to steam around the cylinder sleeves as happens in normal coolant systems. I cannot remember what they did about a high temperature oil. I never heard anything more about this concept, but it seemed like a winner.

Propylene Glycol is commonly used in HVAC systems, particularly for schools, as one does not want toxic sweet tasting coolant leaking in schools that contain youngsters. Propylene does not work as well as ethylene, it is more viscous and carries a little less heat per lb, but works well enough.

did anyone find how to make ethylene glycol not propylene glycol.

Suppes was supposed to have a working demonstration plant up now, but licensed his tech out to Senergy. He won the epa award for the process: www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/pubs/pgcc/winners/aa06.html

but apparently you have this process:"low temperature, low pressure, catalytic conversion of glycerol into first hydroxyacetone, then hydrogenation into propylene glycol. The process is efficient, produces little to no waste, and ultimately generates a non-toxic chemical derived from a natural material." but you have this issue to deal with:

"Senergy Chemical is the global license holder to this technology, which was developed by researchers PhD Suppes and PhD Sutterlin at the University of Missouri to convert glycerol into propylene glycol."

So maybe you can get the info from them and be allowed to make all the "personal use" glycol you wish, so long as you don't tread on their commercial license?

Wish they'd release a Do-It-Yourself plan for all the greenies making bio-diesel in their pole-barns around here. Lots of cheap glycerine available right now if you have some reason to make a BUNCH of bad soap...

Glycerol IS glycerin...different words for the same substance.