A new process for producing calcium acetate from vegetable wastes for use as an environmentally friendly deicer

A new process for producing calcium acetate, a non-corrosive deicer, is proposed. The process consists of a two-step continuous-flow hydrothermal conversion of vegetable wastes into acetic acid and the production of calcium acetate, followed by the separation and condensation of the product. The experiments for acetic acid production showed that there were almost no significant differences in acetic acid yields for the five different kinds of vegetables selected for the batch experiments or for their mixture in batch and continuous-flow experiments. Electrodialysis was chosen as a satisfactory method for separating and condensing the calcium acetate produced from the acetic acid solution obtained from the vegetable wastes. After purification by reverse-osmosis, the residual, depleted acid solution could be safely discharged. The calculation of the carbon balance for the proposed process showed that 21.3% of the TOC from vegetable wastes could be used as calcium/magnesium acetate (CMA) and over 22% as an environmentally friendly deicer. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.