Production of Zero Waste Biodiesel by Utilizing By-Products Glycerin and Biomass

Biodiesel is a popular alternative fuel. It is carbon neutral, has emissions equivalent to or below diesel, is biodegradable, non-toxic, and is significantly cheaper to manufacture than its petroleum equivalent. Biodiesel production creates glycerin as a byproduct. Although glycerin does have its commercial uses, even the current modest biodiesel production has outstripped glycerin demand. In this experiment the excess waste glycerin is combined with waste biomass to produce combustible pellets as an alternative to coal for energy production. The raw materials (waste glycerin and waste biomass) are mixed by weight ratio and blended by hand in a large mixing bowl. Various ratios of glycerin (38.5g and 31.3g) to waste biomass (50g) were then mixed to produce a crude unfinished material. Initial results proved worthwhile, coming in at 15.4, 15.6, and 15.2 kJ/g and displaying a respectable error rate of only 10% for ad-hoc apparatus. The Glycerin/Sawdust pellets produced an energy yield of ≈16 kJ/g, placing their energy content within the expected range for existing fuel pellet infrastructure. The pellets can be viably manufactured using simple manufacturing equipment, and can be combusted as fuel in existing fuel pellet and Coal burning facilities. This will greatly facilitate pellet production and adoption as an alternative fuel source in increasingly resource-conscious world.