Development of an innovativetechnique for byproduct-glycerin separation in the production of biodiesel fuel

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New findings that introduction of granular charcoals or those coated with hydrophilic substances, such as titanium-oxides- or methyl-silicates-coating reagents, into the reaction mixtures of trans-esterification reaction between waste-cooking oils and methanol stimulates the abrupt formation of floating foams on the reaction mixture surface. In addition, it is found that the composition of the floating foams consists almost exclusively of glycerin, demonstrating that these substances act as accelerating agents for the separation of by-product glycerin from the product of the trans-esterification reaction, that is, free fatty acid methyl esters. The glycerin floating on the surface of the reaction mixture as foams can be easily wiped out from the surface physically, and therefore, this phenomenon could be a potential candidate for a new technique of glycerin separation with simple and less-energy consuming process.