Gasification of biodiesel by-product with air or oxygen to make syngas

In the present study, gasification of biodiesel by-product, crude glycerin, was performed in an entrained flow gasifier. Gasification was conducted in a temperature range of 950–1500 °C and excess air ratio of 0.17–0.7 for air or oxygen as a gasification agent. From the results, syngas heating value, carbon conversion and cold gas efficiency of more than 2500 kcal/N m3, 92% and 65% were achieved, respectively. The H2/CO ratio of the product gas was varied from 1.25 to 0.7 with the excess air ratio and this gas composition was favorable for DME synthesis. The optimum excess air ratio for gasification of biodiesel by-product was evaluated to be an approximately 0.35–0.4. The present results indicate that crude glycerin can be utilized as a feedstock for gasification to make syngas.