Overview
What Is Crude Glycerin?
Crude glycerin is the aqueous–organic co-product stream obtained when triglycerides are transesterified with methanol (or similar) to produce FAME biodiesel. It also arises in certain alkali-catalysed splitting, soap and fatty-acid process lines. The commercial product is usually sold as a concentrated syrup after partial methanol recovery, ranging from roughly 75% to 90% glycerol by mass in dry basis terms depending on plant design.
Beyond glycerol and water, typical impurities include inorganic salts (sodium or potassium chloride, phosphates), soap, residual methanol or solvent traces, coloured bodies and MONG (matter organic non-glycerol). These drive the brown appearance, odour and foaming behaviour—and are exactly why every cargo needs its own Certificate of Analysis before processing is engineered.
SUAT Fuels sources crude glycerin with full ISCC EU sustainability documentation where biofuel regulation is in scope, and technical documentation for purely industrial outlets. Pair with our refined glycerin offer when you need USP-grade or technical-distillate quality.
Key Advantages
Why Trade Crude Glycerin?
Traceable Co-Product
Linked to identifiable biodiesel or oleochemical plants—supports GHG and chain-of-custody modelling under ISCC EU when renewable compliance is required.
Refinery Gate Value
Deep discount to refined glycerol while still carrying the carbon benefit of using a manufacturing co-product rather than virgin chemical routes.
Flexible Disposition
Refining, anaerobic digestion, chemical intermediates after purification, or on-site energy integration—project-specific offtake strategies.
Desk + Logistics
SUAT Fuels bundles specifications, sustainability papers and shipping options (ISO container, flexi, road tank) for EU and export markets.
Technical Data
Indicative Quality Band
Figures below are indicative for FAME-route crude glycerin. Catalyst, feedstock oil and methanol recovery strategy shift results—treat every lift as unique.
| Parameter | Typical range | Notes | Test Method (typ.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycerol content | 75–88% | dry basis, mass % | EN 14199 / titration |
| Water + volatiles | 5–15% | before dilution to road spec | Karl Fischer |
| Ash (salts) | 1–8% | Na/K soaps & salts | EN 14356 |
| MONG | 1–6% | organic non-glycerol | lab derived |
| Methanol residue | <0.5–2% | plant-dependent | GC |
| pH (10% aq.) | 5–12 | wide, route-dependent | ISE / pH meter |
| Colour (Gardner) | 8–20+ | visual quality flag | ASTM D1544 |
| Density at 20°C | 1.18–1.26 kg/L | concentration-linked | EN ISO 3675 |
Compliance
Regulatory & Certification Notes
EU RED III — confirm Annex IX & counting per batch
- Crude glycerine from biodiesel production may fall under Annex IX provisions when linked to eligible sustainable routes, but caps, double-counting and transport-sector limits are not generic.
- Final commercial treatment requires harmonised sustainability documentation (ISCC EU PoS/CoC, mass balance, GHG calculation methodology).
- SUAT Fuels does not provide legal classifications—engage your compliance team or counsel for mandate planning.
- Non-fuel applications (industrial refining, feed where permitted) follow separate product regulations.
End Uses
Applications
Refining to purified glycerol
Multi-stage bleaching, ion exchange and distillation to USP/technical grades—our refined glycerin catalogue complements this chain.
Anaerobic digestion
COD-rich co-product streams can support biogas plants where permitted and engineered for salinity tolerance.
Chemical building blocks
Purified derivatives feed epichlorohydrin, propylene glycol and other specialty chemistry—subject to purity gates.
Integrated bio-refineries
On-site heat, power or hydrogen conversion concepts—project-specific techno-economics.
Supply Geography
Origins & Logistics
Modern FAME plants in the EU, Americas and Southeast Asia are the primary sources. Proximity to oleochemical clusters (soap, fatty-acid cuts) adds secondary liquidity. We coordinate moisture content, storage temperature and stainless compatibility with carriers to avoid ester hydrolysis and pickup of iron.