Abstract
To contribute to the search for an oxygen-free biodiesel from vegetable oil, a process based in the oleic acid hydrodeoxygenation over Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts was performed. In this work different wt % of Ni nanoparticles were prepared by wetness impregnation and tested as catalytic phases. Oleic acid was used as a model molecule for biodiesel production due to its high proportion in vegetable oils used in food and agro-industrial processes. A theoretical model to optimize yield of n-C17 was developed using size, distribution, and wt % of Ni nanoparticles (NPs) as additional factors besides operational conditions such as temperature and reaction time. These mathematical models related to response surfaces plots predict a higher yield of n-C17 when physical parameters of Ni NPs are suitable. It can be of particular interest that the model components have a high interaction with operation conditions for the n-C17 yields, with the size, distribution, and wt % of Ni NPs being the most significant. A combination of these factors statistically pointed out those conditions that create a maximum yield of alkanes; these proved to be affordable for producing biodiesel from this catalytic environmental process.
Highlights
Atmospheric pollution due to fossil fuel consumption is a main factor in global warming
The present study focused on oleic acid hydrodeoxygenation, since this acid is considered as an oxygenated organic model molecule that is present at a high ratio in vegetable oils
A slight reduction in the average pore diameter (APD) was observed when Ni loading was increased, which might be directly related to the partial blockage of support pores [15,21]
Summary
Atmospheric pollution due to fossil fuel consumption is a main factor in global warming. The high rates of non-renewable fuels consumption is leading to a shortage of oil supplies and deepening economic and energetic dependence on oil [1,2,3]. This condition has fostered research into renewable fuels conducted by academics, governments, and private institutions to develop and adopt new environmentally friendly fuels. Catalytic hydrotreating of vegetable oils and animal fats is an option to overcome biodiesel disadvantages like oxidative stability and flowing in cold conditions, among others [4] This process removes oxygen from triglycerides through decarbonylation, decarboxylation, or hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) to produce mainly n-alkanes [5,6,7]
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