Processing of byproducts from biodiesel production

V disertaciji smo iz proizvodnje biodizla preučevali eno izmed več moţnosti procesiranja stranskega produkta glicerola. Dobljeni glicerol smo najprej uplinjali v visokotemperaturnem in visokotlačnem reaktorju nad kritično točko vode. Uplinjanje smo izvedli pri treh različnih temperaturah. Reakcije so bile nekatalizirane in katalizirane z dvema katalizatorjema. Z dobljenimi produkti smo najprej določili masne bilance, nato pa smo primerjali odvisnost sestave produktov in stopnjo uplinjanja od temperature in zadrţevalnega časa. Med uplinjanjem se nam je na stene katalizatorja odlagal ogljik. Tega smo poskušali odstraniti iz sistema z vodno paro. Rezultati so pokazali, da bi lahko bil to eden izmed dokaj enostavnih in ekonomičnih načinov odstranjevanja naloţenega ogljika iz sistema. Drugi del disertacije obsega fazno ravnoteţje produktov uplinjanja. S temi podatki lahko načrtujemo proces separacije. Ugotavljali smo vpliv parametrov na nadaljnjo sestavo plinske mešanice, ki jo lahko nato uporabimo v procesih sinteze. Prav tako smo preučili še fazno ravnoteţje pri visokih temepraturah in tlakih za binarni sistem ogljikov monoksid/voda in ga modelirali z Van der Waalsovo enačbo. V tretjem delu smo produkte uplinjanja ţeleli primerno procesirati, da bi pridobili edukte za nadaljnje procese. Plinsko mešanico, ki jo sestavljajo štirje plini, ţelimo uporabiti v procesu sinteze. Za to potrebujemo sintezni plin, ki je mešanica ogljikovega monoksida in vodika. Ostala plina, metan in ogljikov dioksid, lahko s procesom suhega reforminga metana presnujemo v sintezni plin. Preučevali smo moţnost tovrstne nadgradnje tako, da smo izvajali reakcije pri povišanih tlakih in temperaturah brez katalizatorja in s štirimi katalizatorji. Prav tako smo analizirali sestavo plinskih produktov in preučevali, katere reakcije še simultano tečejo v našem procesu. In this doctoral dissertation one of a few possiblities of processing biodiesel production byproduct glycerol was studied. The glycerol was gasified in a high temperature and high pressure reactor above critical point of water. Gasification was performed at three different temperatures. Reactions were non-catalyzed and catalyzed with two catalysts. From obtained products mass balances were determined. Afterwards a comparison was made from product composition and gasification rate in dependance of temperature and reaction time, respectively. During gasification carbon depostied on the walls of the reactor. Its removal from the system was also investigated with low pressure water steam. Results showed that this could be a relatively simple and economically suitable process for carbon removal from the system. Second part of the thesis represents phase equilibria of gasification products. With this data a separation process can be designed. Influence of process paramaters was investigated on the composition of the gas products for their further use in synthesis processes. Also phase equilibria at elevated temperatures and pressures of binary system of carbon monoxide/water was investigated. Results were modelled with Van der Waals equation of state. The third part covers upgrading of the gas products. The obtained gas mixture, composed of four gases, is to be used in the synthesis process. For that synthesis gas is needed, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Other two gases, methane and carbon dioxide, can be converted to syngas by dry reforming of methane. The process was also investigated at high temperatures and pressures by non-catalyzed and catalyzed reactions, with four different catalysts. Furthermore an analysis of gas products was performed and possible reactions taking place in the system are discussed.