Process Simulation of Glycerol Conversion to Formic Acid
D. A. Trirahayu (a*)

a) Chemical Engineering Department, Politeknik Negeri Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia 40012
*dhyna.analyes[at]polban.ac.id

Abstract

Biodiesel is widely produced as alternative fuel from different kind of vegetable oil. The production of biodiesel also produces large amount of side products, such as glycerol. Glycerol has many applications in cosmetic, pharmacy, and lubricant industries. Glycerol also can be converted to many kinds of chemical products, one of them is formic acid. The oxidation of glycerol with hydrogen peroxide will produced formic acid and water. The simulation process was designed using Aspen Hysys. The reactor feed consists of pure glycerol and hydrogen peroxide 30%. The mole ratio of glycerol : hydrogen peroxide was set to 1 : 12. The oxidation process was simulated using conversion reactor with conversion 99% at temperature 250C and 170 atm. The process was followed with formic acid purification via distillation and extractive distillation using SULFOLANE. The extractive distillation needed because the azeotrope characteristic of water 22.4% and formic acid 77.6%. The simulation indicates that 10 kg/h glycerol can be produced around 2.7 kg/h formic acid with purity 96%.

Keywords: formic acid, glycerol, process simulation, oxidation

Topic: Chemical Engineering