Parameters Analysis of the Assisted Combustion of Residual Biodiesel Glycerol

With the increased production of biodiesel, an excess of glycerol is being generated worldwide. One way to reduce the surplus of glycerol would be to use it as low calorific fuel in the own process of biodiesel production. However, being a high viscosity fuel with also high ignition point, its combustion requires severe control and monitoring due to the formation of the toxic pollutants. It is common practice mainly in developing countries to use biomass fuels in rural regions and it looks that with glycerol will not be different. The present article had as objective the construction of a simple chamber for the LPG assisted combustion of the biodiesel residual glycerol and the evaluation of all parameters related to the combustion itself. At a fixed mass flow of LPG different mass flows of glycerol were burnt and parameters such as O2, CO, CO , NOx, exhaust gases temperature, combustion efficiency and excess air were measured.