ABSTRACT
This chapter describes treatment of several of the economic factors of glycerol marketing and manufacture. The development of new use applications for glycerol would be welcomed enthusiastically by the entire glycerol industry. Although glycerol continues to be a very versatile product, there are a few application areas that are showing decreasing annual consumption such as alkyd resin manufacture and use in tobacco products. The technology involved use of a process that began with an unusual catalytic conversion of propylene oxide into allyl alcohol, which was treated with peracetic acid to yield glycerol. Glycerol is a byproduct from the manufacture of soap, fatty acids, methyl esters, and fatty alcohols, where it is usually more valuable on a c/lb basis than the major product from each operation. Glycerol is also produced from a large variety of natural fats and oils of animal, marine, and vegetable origin.
