Investigation of the Effects of Temperature and Catalyst on the Liquid Products of Waste Lubricant Oil Catalytic Pyrolysis

Abstract

Catalytic pyrolysis is the process in which organic materials undergo catalytic thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen. In this study, catalytic pyrolysis was conducted by heating waste lubricant oil in a modified catalytic reactor for 60 minutes at 350, 450, and 550°C. Furthermore, the effect of a catalyst on the pyrolysis of waste lubricant oil was investigated. The catalyst used was natural zeolite with particle sizes of 70/100 mesh, 200/250 mesh and > 400 mesh. The catalytic pyrolysis liquid products obtained were then analyzed to determine the viscosity, density, heat value and composition of carbon compounds. The results show that temperature, the addition of catalysts and the catalyst particle size affect the physical and chemical properties of liquid products. On the basis of these properties, liquid products can be grouped into several types of liquid fuels namely, gasoline, kerosene and diesel. The liquid products obtained with a catalytic pyrolysis at temperature 550°C and catalyst particle size of > 400 mesh have a density, viscosity, yield and heating value of 829.760 kg/m3, 1.9508 mPa⋅s, 45.33% and 10.981 calories/gram, respectively. The composition of carbon compounds in liquid products is 20.39% for C < 8 compounds and 79.61% for C8-C18 compounds. These liquids are similar to gasoline, kerosene and diesel.