Use of a Dual-Bed System for Producing Diesel Fuel from a Mixture of Straight-Run Diesel and Rapeseed Oil over Sulfide Catalysts

Abstract

A dual-bed catalytic system including MoS2/Al2O3 and Co–MoS2/Al2O3 catalysts is proposed for the process of production of diesel fuel with the sulfur content of less than 10 ppm from a straight-run diesel fraction containing 10–45 wt % rapeseed oil. The conversion of rapeseed oil to alkanes proceeds in the MoS2/Al2O3 catalyst bed via the route of “direct” hydrodeoxygenation without the formation of carbon oxides, and the hydrodesulfurization of the diesel fraction occurs in the bed of the Co–MoS2/Al2O3 hydrotreating catalyst. Using this system provides an increase in the yield of diesel fuel and a decrease in the formation of greenhouse gases in comparison with conventional Co(Ni)–MoS2/Al2O3 catalysts.