Studying of different supported metal catalysts for bio-JET production

Abstract

Since 2011, the volume of passenger air transport grew nearly 7.5%/year, while freight air transport grew 3.6%/year regarding to the performed kilometers. The expansion of the aviation sector resulted increasing fuel consumption, too. The growing usage of fossil-based jet fuel results significant particle and carbon dioxide emissions, which causes remarkable environment pollution. This emission can only be reduced with using alternative jet fuels, especially those are originated from natural/waste fatty acid/-ester triglyceride sources. The aim of the experimental work was to compare industrially applied sulfide-state catalysts containing different transition metals from the aspect of catalytic conversion of mixtures of waste coconut oil and unrefined kerosene to produce jet fuel at various process parameters (temperature = 280–360 °C, liquid hourly space velocity = 1.0–3.0 h−1, pressure = 30 bar, hydrogen/hydrocarbon volume ratio = 600 Nm3/m3) in a continuous down-flow tubular reactor system. The obtained products contributes to decrease in particle and carbon dioxide emission of aircrafts due to their lower aromatic content. The smoke point of the products obtained at favorable process parameters was higher than 30 mm, while the requirement in ASTM D 1655 standard is minimum 25 mm.