Production of jet fuel by hydrorefining of Fischer-Tropsch wax over Pt/Al-TUD-1 bifunctional catalyst

Abstract

TUD-1 supported bifunctional platinum catalysts were prepared and characterized for structural and textural properties, acidity, and platinum dispersion. The acidity of TUD-1 was varied by isomorphous substitution of Al and Ti in the framework. The TUD-1 supports possess a three-dimensional amorphous structure as shown by XRD. BET-N2 adsorption and pyridine FTIR studies revealed that the incorporation of Al in the TUD-1 framework enhances the surface area and generates Brønsted acidity. The catalysts were screened for hydrorefining of Fischer-Tropsch wax with C8-C44 n-paraffins. The catalysts prepared with Si-TUD-1 and Ti-TUD-1 supports were not active for hydrocracking and hydroisomerization due to the absence of Brønsted acid sites, which was verified by pyridine FTIR. Increasing the amount of Al in the framework gradually increased the Brønsted acid sites and thus promoted hydrocracking and hydroisomerization of F-T wax. Pt/Al-TUD-1 catalyst with a Si/Al ratio of 10 produced more jet fuel range hydrocarbons. Hydrorefining of F-T wax was evaluated over an optimal Pt/Al-TUD-1 (Si/Al = 10) catalyst at different pressures and temperatures. Hydroisomerization was favored at low hydrogen pressure. Increasing the temperature shifted the hydrocarbon distribution more towards gasoline due to severe cracking. The temperature of 330 °C and a hydrogen pressure of 5 MPa were found to be optimum to produce jet fuel range hydrocarbons that meet the ASTM specification of cold flow properties. This study proves the feasibility of the production of renewable jet fuel that is directly compatible with fossil-based aviation engines, through hydrorefining of F-T waxes using a mesoporous bifunctional catalyst.