Abstract
The catalytic conversion of palm oil was carried out over four zeolite catalysts—Y, ZSM-5, Y-ZSM-5 hybrid, and Y/ZSM-5 composite—to produce jet biofuel with high amount of alkanes and low amount of aromatic hydrocarbons. The zeolite Y-ZSM-5 hybrid catalyst was synthesized using crystalline zeolite Y as the seed for the growth of zeolite ZSM-5. Synthesized zeolite catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and temperature programmed desorption of ammonia, while the chemical compositions of the jet biofuel were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The conversion of palm oil over zeolite Y resulted in the highest yield (42 wt%) of jet biofuel: a high selectivity of jet range alkanes (51%) and a low selectivity of jet range aromatic hydrocarbons (25%). Zeolite Y-ZSM-5 hybrid catalyst produced a decreased percentage of jet range alkane (30%) and a significant increase in the selectivity of aromatic hydrocarbons (57%). The highest conversion of palm oil to hydrocarbon compounds was achieved by zeolite Y-ZSM-5 hybrid catalyst (99%), followed by zeolite Y/ZSM-5 composite (96%), zeolite Y (91%), and zeolite ZSM-5 (74%). The reaction routes for converting palm oil to jet biofuel involve deoxygenation of fatty acids into C15–C18 alkanes via decarboxylation and decarbonylation, catalytic cracking into C8–C14 alkanes, and cycloalkanes as well as aromatization into aromatic hydrocarbon.
Highlights
Global primary energy consumption increases by 37% between 2013 and 2035
This study clearly shows that the jet biofuel (9–15 carbon atoms) consisting of straight-chain alkane, cyclic alkane, and aromatic hydrocarbon can be synthesized using palm oil in the presence of zeolites Y and ZSM-5 catalysts
A simple route was successfully developed for directly producing C9–C18 alkane, cyclo- and aromatic hydrocarbons from palm oil using heterogeneous zeolite catalysts in the presence of hydrogen in a fast pyrolysis process
Summary
Global primary energy consumption increases by 37% between 2013 and 2035. Fossil fuels remain the dominant form of energy in 2035 with a share of 81%, down from 86% in 2013.1,2 The development of renewable fuel resources has attracted considerable attention because of the global environmental concerns and the exhaustion of the fossil fuel resources.[3]. To meet the international specifications of low jet range alkane, the biojet fuel from palm oil that contains high amount of fatty acids can be processed through several routes, which are catalytic deoxygenation reactions, including decarboxylation or decarbonylation and carbon chain cracking.[17]. The conversion of palm oil directly to jet biofuel range alkane and aromatic hydrocarbons over zeolites Y, ZSM-5, Y-ZSM-5 hybrid, and Y/ZSM-5 composite by pyrolysis process is tested and analyzed. 0.30 g of Al2O3 was mixed with 0.11 g of NaOH and 10 mL of distilled water and was stirred at room temperature. The palm oil conversion experiment was carried out in a 500-mL batch reactor equipped with an external heating mantle In this process, 200 mL of palm oil and catalyst with a mass ratio of 20:1 was loaded into the reactor, which was vigorously stirred for 1 min. The area percent of changed concentrations of palm oil compounds obtained from GC-MS results was used to predict product concentration in jet biofuel
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