Using Glycerin, a By-Product of Biodiesel, as a Grinding Aid in the Dry Grinding of Marble Dust Waste

Glycerin represents the primary by-product of biodiesel generation when vegetable oil is transesterified with ethanol or methanol. It is essential to study how to prevent natural resource depletion and transform waste into usable and valuable products. Using glycerin as a grinding aid can be an alternative solution for utilizing the excess glycerin resulting from biodiesel production. This paper investigated the usability of unrefined glycerin as a grinding aid in the dry grinding of marble wastes in terms of grinding efficiency while planning to reduce the adverse impacts of waste on the environment via its efficient utilization. The dry grinding experiments conducted within the study’s scope researched the impacts of five dosages (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% by weight) on the product. The current research is promising in terms of preventing the depletion of natural resources and transforming waste into usable and valuable products. Furthermore, considerable enhancements were obtained in the grinding performance with the grinding aid utilized. © 2023 Union of Chambers of Engineers and Architects of Turkey. All rights reserved.