Patent ID: 8101807

Claim:
A method for converting glycerol into propylene glycol, the method comprising the steps of: directing a glycerol feed to a feed blending section; combining a base with the glycerol feed in the feed blending section to form a basic glycerol containing feed stream having a pH of about 10 or greater; directing the basic glycerol containing feed stream and a hydrogen containing gas to a hydrogenolysis reaction section including at least one reactor and into contact with a glycerol conversion catalyst loaded in the at least one reactor, wherein the at least one reactor is operating at glycerol conversion conditions effective to form a reaction section product including propylene glycol, and wherein the glycerol conversion conditions include an average catalyst bed temperature of from about 325 to about 375° F. and a reactor pressure of from about 1500 to about 2000 psig; directing the reaction section product including propylene glycol to a separator to form a hydrogen rich separator off gas and a separator liquid product including propylene glycol; and directing the separator liquid product to a purification section and processing the separator liquid in the purification section by the further steps of: i. directing the separator liquid product to a unit operation to remove water and C 1 -C 3 alcohols from the separator liquid product and to form an essentially water free product including propylene glycol and precipitated salts; and ii. directing the essentially water free product including propylene glycol and precipitated salts to a solid/liquid separator to form an essentially solids free product including propylene glycol.