Abstract
The energy transition has driven the development of sustainable routes for hydrogen production, due to the dependence on fossil fuel-based methods and their high emissions. Glycerol, an abundant and low-cost by-product of the biodiesel industry, stands out as a promising feedstock for hydrogen generation and higher value-added products. This work proposes a global synthesis methodology, formulated as a linear programming model, to identify high-value products and hydrogen as a co-product, using purified glycerol and ensuring zero CO2 emissions. Eight scenarios were evaluated with the objective of maximizing the sale price, varying the fixed hydrogen production (nH2) and, in specific scenarios (4-8), applying additional restrictions on the use of raw materials. All scenarios met the imposed restrictions. Scenario 2 exhibited the best economic performance, with a selling price of US$ 30,960, an enthalpy of –18,600 kJ, and the production of glycolic acid (150 kmol) and hydrogen (100 kmol). Scenario 7 showed greater product diversity, including the formation of acrylonitrile (10 kmol) and higher hydrogen production (200 kmol), resulting in a financial return of US$ 21,240. Thus, the model demonstrated the ability to identify diverse and viable combinations for converting glycerol into industrially relevant compounds and hydrogen.
