Majid Mohadesi

This study investigated the purification of glycerol obtained from the biodiesel production process using various solvents including toluene, petroleum ether, and n-butanol in a micro-scale extractor. Glycerol was produced using a mixture of soybean oil and methanol in a molar ratio of 6:1 in the presence of potassium hydroxide catalyst at 60 °C during 4 h; it was then neutralized by sulfuric acid 98%. The produced crude glycerol was extracted in different solvents using a microreactor with a T-shaped mixer with a square cross-section dimension of 0.9 mm. Operating temperatures were 303.15 K and 318.15 K and the solvent to feed ratio were 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1. Based on the results, petroleum ether was more effective in removing methanol from glycerol and purifying it, as compared with the other two solvents. The highest level of glycerol purity which was obtained through using toluene, petroleum ether, and n-butanol solvents was 93.6, 98.4, and 83.4%, respectively. These values were obtained at 318.15 K.