Gasoline-like hydrocarbons by catalytic cracking of soap phase residue of neutralization process of palm oil ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq)

Abstract

Abstract In this work, the soap phase residue of neutralization process of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) submitted to catalytic cracking to produce gasoline-like hydrocarbons fuels. The cracking reaction carried out in a stirred tank reactor of 143 L, operating in batch mode at 440 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using 15% (wt.) Na2CO3 as catalyst. The organic liquid products (OLP) yield 71.34% (wt.) with an acid value of 1.07 mg KOH/g and kinematic viscosity of 1.90 mm2s−1, matching sulfur content, copper strip corrosion, flash point, viscosity and density of ANP (Brazilian Petroleum Agency) N° 65 for diesel S10. The distillation of OLP carried out in laboratory scale according to the boiling temperature range of fossil fuels, yielding 6.69% (wt.) gasoline, 12.77% (wt.) kerosene, 15.52% (wt.) light diesel, and 38.02% heavy diesel-like hydrocarbons fuels, showing that Na2CO3 was more selective to convert salts of carboxylic acids into diesel-like hydrocarbons fuels. The GC–MS analysis showed that OLP is composed by 91.59% (wt.) hydrocarbons and 8.41% (wt.) oxygenates. The gasoline-like hydrocarbons fraction composed by 100% hydrocarbons with an acid value of 1.69 mg KOH/g and kinematic viscosity of 0.83 mm2s−1, matches many physicochemical parameters of ANP N° 40 for gasoline A, proving the technical feasibility of catalytic cracking process.