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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Reforming of Crude Glycerine in Supercritical Water to Produce Methanol for Re-Use in Biodiesel Plants

Objective

Biodiesel is produced by transesterification of vegetable oils with methanol. Glycerine is a major by-product of the transesterification process. Due to the rapid increase in biodiesel production capacity in Europe also the amount of glycerine has increased rapidly. The overall project objective is to produce methanol from crude glycerine, and re-use the methanol in the biodiesel plant. This project aims to improve the energy balance, carbon performance, sustainability and overall economics of biodiesel production. The work expands on expertise generated by the consortium on reforming of glycerine in supercritical water, and to produce a synthesis gas suitable for direct once-through methanol synthesis (GtM - Glycerine to Methanol). Producers will be less dependent on the methanol spot price, there is a (partial) security of methanol supply, and their by-product is used as a green, sustainable feedstock. Further development of the GtM technology should result in an economically viable process at the scale of the biodiesel plant (3,000-10,000 t glycerine/y). There are 2 secondary objectives. Firstly: To demonstrate the complete GtM process on laboratory and pilot plant scale. Specific targets are to achieve glycerine conversions >90%, and to produce a syngas with H2/CO > 1. The overall target is a yield of 50 wt% methanol from glycerine (energy efficiency > 70%). Secondly, to prepare a detailed design for a full-scale methanol production facility integrated in a biodiesel production plant, and establish production costs for the super methanol. Target is to produce methanol at a price below 250 EUR/tonne. The project involves 2 SME’s in the field of thermo-chemical processes, 2 industrial companies in the field of biodiesel production and high-pressure technologies, and 3 academic partners highly skilled in catalysts development, thermodynamics and process modelling.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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FP7-ENERGY-2007-1-RTD
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Funding Scheme

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CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project

Coordinator

B.T.G. BIOMASS TECHNOLOGY GROUP BV
EU contribution
€ 699 943,00
Address
JOSINK ESWEG 34
7545 PN ENSCHEDE
Netherlands

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Region
Oost-Nederland Overijssel Twente
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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Participants (6)

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