Glycerol desorption from ion exchange and adsorbent resin using supercritical fluid technology: An optimization study

In this study, glycerol desorption from Purolite (R) PD206 resin was investigated using conventional and supercritical fluids (SCF) techniques. Untreated biodiesel was purified by dry washing using the resin and, after purification, the glycerol desorption was carried out using absolute ethanol under atmospheric conditions at different mass flows (10-30 g/min) or using ethanol-modified supercritical CO(2) (1:3 molar ratio of ethanol:CO(2)), under a pressure of 140 bar, within a temperature range of 106-134 degrees C and with mass flow rates of 6-34 g/min. The results showed that ethanol is an efficient solvent for this process and that the supercritical desorption is much faster than conventional desorption process. Employing the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) it was found that temperature has the greatest effect on the resin regeneration time using supercritical fluids. Optimum conditions obtained were 106.1 degrees C and 21.9 g/min, in which the resin was regenerated in only 4.17 min. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.