Growing global energy and environmental problems has prompt various countries around the world to develop biodiesel technology and build biodiesel industry, in order to ease the dependence on petroleum and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Biodiesel is synthesised by vegetable oils or animal fats, waste edible oil reacted with alcohols (such as methanol). It is environmental protection renewable biofuels which is very similar with ordinary diesel, its main composition is long chain fatty acid methyl ester. In the process of production of biodiesel can produce large amounts of byproducts, one of the main byproducts is glycerin (about 10% of the biodiesel yield). As rapid growth of global demand and production for biodiesel, its economic strength depends on the effective use of glycerol as much as possible.The traditional method is using the glycerol to produce nitroglycerin and soap. Or for burning, burning glycerol can produce heat and power generation. Glycerol can be also used for the preparation of 1, 2 propylene glycol, 1, 3 propanediol, epoxy chloropropane, glyceryl ester, and glycerin metal complexes, etc.The development and utilization of glycerol can not only reduce the production cost of biodiesel, but also can alleviate raw materials lack pressure of various important pharmaceutical and chemical products, and will lead to the new development of deep processing of glycerin and glycerol derivatives synthesis.
