Abstract
This research presents a novel approach to create glycerol carbonate (GC) from refined crude glycerol through microwave-assisted transesterification. It integrates experimental enhancement with techno-economic and ecological assessments. The refining procedure raised the glycerol content from 40.56 wt % to 98.83 wt %, ensuring a high-quality input. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to aid optimization of the reaction conditions. The best conditions were a 6.5 wt % catalyst concentration, 2.74:1 dimethyl carbonate:glycerol molar ratio, a reaction temperature of 78.36 °C, and a reaction duration of 36.5 min, which gave a 73.65% yield of GC. Experimental data matched the model estimates under these settings, validating the RSM dependability. The activation energy was calculated as 54.57 kJ/mol. A techno-economic assessment, performed using the Aspen Plus V11 software, revealed that the process is a viable investment possibility, with a net present value of $31.23 million, an internal rate of return of 27.96%, and a payback duration of 4.11 years. A sensitivity assessment revealed that the GC selling price considerably affected the profit and that the CO(2) releases tied to GC creation totaled 2.11 kg CO(2) per kg of GC. Catalyst reuse tests over three cycles exhibited a sound steadiness, with only a 10% efficiency reduction. These outcomes display a scalable, lasting path to GC output, accentuating industrial practicality besides economic strength.