abstract |
This invention describes the preparation of fatty acid esters of glycerol formal either by a triglyceride transesterification process or, alternatively, by an esterification process of fatty acids previously obtained from the hydrolysis of triglycerides (fat splitting), with glycerol formal in the presence of an acid or basic catalyst. Also the invention describes the use of these fatty acid esters of glycerol formal prepared by said process as biofuel. In an embodiment, such biofuel is used in the preparation of other biofuels by its mixture with a product selected from a group formed by: glycerol formal, biodiesel, petrol-derived diesel, and mixtures thereof. The biofuels thus obtained are characterised to allow the complete incorporation of the glycerol obtained in the current biodiesel production process in a biodiesel fuel. |