Studies on Production of Biohydrogen from Crude Glycerol Generated in Biodiesel Plants

Abstract

The rapidly depleting fossil fuel reserves and the severe impact of fossil fuel emissions on the environment have strengthened the urge to find alternative sources of energy that can partially or gradually reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and help to curb the environmental pollution. Thus, extensive research is being undertaken to tap the potential of various alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, hydrothermal and so on, to make up to the demand for clean fuel. One such energy resource that is being a potential and effective is hydrogen. Hydrogen gas is said to be the cleanest energy carrier with approximate combustion value of 150 MJ/kg. The gas being the lightest, newlinecan burn efficiently without producing any harmful by products. Water is the only by product that is formed on combustion of hydrogen gas. Therefore, hydrogen is seen as a competent substitute for fossil fuels. While the bulk production of hydrogen is through chemical methods employing conventional feed stock namely natural gas as the raw material, is energy dependent process. For the process to be economical, energy independent processes with cost effective raw materials are needed to be developed and transformed as technology for large scale hydrogen production. newline newline