Grant: Idea to Innovation

The rising CO2 levels and environmental concerns have promoted increased demands for biodiesel as a transportation fuel. It is typically produced from vegetable oils by transesterification. For every 100 liters of biodiesel produced, around 10 liters of glycerol is generated as a byproduct. Glycerol from biodiesel plants typically contains significant levels of impurities such as water, methanol, fatty acids, and soap. The presence of these impurities prevents its use as a solvent in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. An effective route for the valorization of this crude glycerol is highly desirable to improve the economic sustainability of biodiesel production. The production of propylene glycol from glycerol of biodiesel process emerges as a high-margin valorization route since propylene glycol market demand is 2.7 million tons per year globally as a solvent, emulsifier, stabilizer, and freezing point reducer. Professor Dalai and his team at the University of Saskatchewan have developed a catalytic process to produce bio-propylene glycol from crude glycerol using a proprietary catalyst. As a strategy to commercialize this technology, the lab-scale batch processwill be converted into a continuous process since the latter type of operation has the potentials to increase the process efficiency while reducing environmental footprints and operating costs. Besides, this study focuses on developing the UofS propylene glycol technology as per industrial needs and then validating the reproducibilityof catalyst synthesis, and the production of propylene glycol from crude glycerol in a small-scale pilot reactor. The experimental results of pilot runs will be used for life cycle analysis, process simulation and to find out theeconomical feasibility of the UofS technology through techno-economic analysis. The outcomes of the project will enhance the confidence of industrial partners on the UofS propylene glycol technology for licensing and further commercialization.