glycerin options - Collective Biodiesel Conference

GLYCERIN OPTIONS:
SOAP, COMPOST,
AND ANAEROBIC
DIGESTION
Dickinson College Biodiesel Shop
Carlisle, PA
The Dickinson Biodiesel Shop
Introduction to glycerin byproduct
Crude glycerin classified as
a haz mat
Complicates storage,
transport, and disposal
Worldwide glut of crude
biodiesel glycerin
Pays to have a plan before
getting stuck with a problem
What to do with glycerin backlog?
glycerin soap production
composting glycerin
creating biogas digesters
For starters, do methanol recovery!
Recover the methanol!
It’s not much harder than
making biodiesel
Safe handling of glycerin with methanol
Option one: soap making
Using methanol-free glycerin to make soap
Step-by-step soap making
Step-by-step soap making
Step-by-step soap making
Soap recipes that work!
Liquid soap recipe
1 L KOH based glycerin
900 mL water
61 g KOH
Solid soap recipe
1 L NaOH based glycerin
200 mL water
30 g NaOH
Making bar soap is more difficult…
Failed batches
Sweating
Marketing Soap
Methanol content: flash point test
Soap survey
The Dickinson shop’s marketing locations
The Brown Soap Company
http://www.thebrownsoapcompany.com
Option two: composting glycerin
Is composting just disposal, or is there a benefit? Is
there a detriment?
Everyone says glycerin can be composted, but there
is currently no conclusive data available
What is composting?
Composting is aerobic digestion of organic wastes
Composting is NOT dumping waste in a hole in the
ground
Composting basics
Small scale: 3’x3’x3’
Large scale: 8’ windrow
Composting basics: ingredients
“Greens and browns”
C:N ratio of 30:1
Moist, but not too wet
Good structure to allow air flow and prevent
anaerobic digestion
Glycerin composting basics
Cover piles to prevent
rain saturation;
compostex fabric
Glycerin composting research
Trial 1: 10 piles; base of hay mixed with cow manure
Trial 2: 6 piles; base of wood chips mixed with horse manure
Trial 3: 4 piles; base of fall leaves with waste food
Glycerin composting research:
adding the glycerin
• Five Saturation levels established
100% = 18 gallons glycerin
75% = 13.5 gallons glycerin
50% = 9 gallons glycerin
25% = 4.5 gallons glycerin
0% = 0 gallons glycerin
Cucumber bio assay using trial 1compost
and soil additives
Compost:potting soil
ratio
1:0
2:3
1:3
0:1
% saturation (glycerin)
0%, 25%, 50%, 75%,
100%
0%, 25%, 50%, 75%,
100%
0%, 25%, 50%, 75%,
100%
0%, 25%, 50%, 75%,
100%
Cucumber bio assay using trial 1 compost
and potting soil
Data and preliminary analysis
Cucumber bio assay using trial 1 compost
and vermiculite
Data and preliminary analysis
Berlese funnel bio assay using
trial 1 compost
Temperature data from trial 3 piles
Temperature data from trial 3 piles
Option three: biogas digesters
Anaerobic digestion of organic matter into biogas and soil additives
Research being conducted for large scale production
Contracting with Robert Crosby of Biorealis Systems (www.biorealis.com)
for small scale production research
First attempts show possibilities
Further research is underway
Inoculate
Feedstock
Processor Design
Glycerin feed levels