Natural Zeolite Catalyst Research Articles

Conversion of Isopropanol to Diisopropyl Ether over Cobalt Phosphate Modified Natural Zeolite Catalyst

This study aims to produce diisopropyl ether (DIPE) via isopropanol dehydration using cobalt-phosphate-supported natural zeolite catalysts. The catalytic activities of the zeolite/CoO and zeolite/Co(H2PO4)2 were compared. The as-prepared catalysts were assessed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption. Surface acidity was determined using the gravimetric method with pyridine as the probe. The results of this study showed that natural zeolite was favorably impregnated by CoO and Co(H2PO4)2 species. The impregnation process affected the textural and acidic features of the catalysts. The zeolite/Co(H2PO4)2 catalyst with a loading of 8 mEq.g-1 exhibited the highest surface acidity of 1.827 mmol.g-1. This catalyst also promoted the highest catalytic activity towards isopropanol dehydration, with an isopropanol conversion of 66.19%, DIPE selectivity, and yield of 46.72% and 34.99%, respectively. The cobalt phosphate species promoted higher catalytic activity for isopropanol dehydration than the CoO species. This study demonstrated the potential of cobalt phosphate-supported natural zeolite catalysts for DIPE production with adequate performance. Copyright © 2024 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF PULVERIZED RICE HUSK WASTE CATALYTIC COMBUSTION WITH NATURAL ZEOLIT

Rice husk is a type of agricultural waste that generated from rice production activities. The number continues to increase in line with the increasing food needs of the people in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the effect of the addition of natural zeolite as a catalyst and to determine the effect of natural zeolite mass percentage variation in the mixture on rice husk waste catalytic combustion by using the thermo gravimetric analysis method. The results of this study show that there is an effect of adding natural zeolite catalysts with the mass percentage of natural zeolite variations on the combustion characteristics and activation energy of each mixture. Increasing the mass percentage of natural zeolite catalysts can affect the reaction process become faster and minimize the effort required, but it was found that if the amount of natural zeolite catalyst is too much, it only adds to the heating load which causes slower reaction. The mixture of rice husks with 10% natural zeolite catalyst is the most optimal mixture because it has the lowest required activation energy value and the combustion reaction phases are achieved at a lower temperature than 5% and 15% mass percentage variations.

Lampung Natural Zeolite Dopped with of ZnO-TiO2 Metal Oxide as Catalyst for Biodiesel Production

Research has been carried out on making biodiesel from palm oil using natural zeolite catalysts impregnated with metal oxides such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide. This research aims to produce biodiesel using natural zeolite and ZnO-TiO2/NZ catalysts. The catalysts were analyzed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET). The catalyst was tested in the transesterification reaction to produce biodiesel. The mole oil and methanol ratio varied from 1:15, 1:18, and 1:20. In addition, the biodiesel product was analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). The results showed the optimum condition for converting triglycerides to 1:18 variation of oil:methanol was 60.53%using a ZnO-TiO2/NZ catalyst. The ZnO-TiO2/NZ catalyst is very promising for use as a catalyst for converting palm oils into biodiesel.

Hydrocracking Rubber Seeds Oil for Biofuel Production Using Bifunctional Sarulla‐Derived Natural Zeolite–Ni and Ni–Mo/SNZ Catalyst

Rubber seeds, due to their rich vegetable oil content, emerge as a promising substrate for biofuel production. Harnessing the progressive catalytic hydrocracking methodology, this research delves into the activation of Sarulla‐derived natural zeolite followed by Ni and Ni–Mo metal impregnation, subsequently subjecting rubber seed oil to hydrocracking at 400, 450, and 500 °C under atmospheric pressure at 0.1 MPa. Zeolite characteristics undergo notable transformations postmetal impregnation. Importantly, at 500 °C, gasoline fraction selectivity exhibits superior efficacy, with the Ni/SNZ‐A catalyst demonstrating consistently high selectivity (>85%) across varied temperatures. Posthydrocracking reveals an amplification in n‐paraffin, aromatic, olefin, and methyl ester profiles to 19.6%, 7.3%, 25.7%, and 17.7%, respectively, contrasting the diminution of cycloparaffin, carboxylic acid, and ketones to 3.6%, 0.2%, and 2.5%, respectively. The aforementioned discoveries hold significant importance in the realm of further investigation into the generation of gasoline fractions through the utilization of natural zeolite catalysts and the incorporation of metals with lower mass, all conducted under atmospheric pressure conditions with the ultimate objective of mitigating production expenses.

Characterization Product of Coconut Shell Gasification as Liquid Fuel Through Catalytic Cracking Process with Activated Natural Zeolite Catalyst

There are 3 types of general fuels widely used, namely solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Liquid fuel is the most frequently used fuels because its the easiest to use and for transportation. Type of liquid fuel commonly used is gasoline and diesel. However, the amount of fossil fuels is dwindling, so that at this time a substitute fuel from biomass and its derivatives is needed. One of the commonly used natural resources is biomass. This biomass is used not only directly but can also be used indirectly. One of them is the gasification process. The gasification process produces 3 products, gas, solid and liquid. The liquid gasification product is rarely used because its considered a B3 waste. The liquid gasification product is tar. Tar is a substance composed of various long chain hydrocarbon compounds. Therefore, tar has the potential to be processed into fuel. Therefore, currently we process tar as a fuel by cracking the tar to obtain light hydrocarbon products which are equivalent to gasoline or diesel. This process uses a natural zeolite catalyst to break down these hydrocarbons. The natural zeolite used is zeolite originating from Padalarang, West Java. This natural zeolite has been processed to obtain a suitable Si/Al content for cracking. After the cracking process with catalyst, liquid fuel will be produced. GCMS test results for liquid products is component acetic acid with a concentration of 5.87.2%, phenol 5.55.9% and C8H10O2 and C8H10O3 9.110.5%. Based on these components, the resulting liquid fuel is equivalent to gasoline.

Potential Use of Natural Zeolite and Green Shells in Biodiesel Production

As energy needs continue to rise in line with the use of fossil energy, which is difficult to renew, other alternative energy is needed to continue to meet current and future energy needs. One alternative energy that is easy to produce is biodiesel. One of the raw materials that is quite widely used and developed in making biodiesel is waste cooking oil. According to statistical data, Indonesia can produce waste cooking oil of 5.06 tons per year. Waste cooking oil contains free fatty acids that can be processed into biodiesel using the help of heterogeneous catalysts. One source of heterogeneous catalysts that can be used is CaO, which can be found in green shells, where the CaO contained can be taken through the calcination process of green shells. To maximize the waste cooking oil processing process, an adsorption pretreatment process can be carried out. The adsorption process is carried out to reduce the FFA levels and acid numbers contained in waste cooking oil so that the transesterification reaction process can run optimally. Natural zeolite can be used as a good adsorbent to purify and lower the acid number of waste cooking oil. This study aims to find the best operating conditions in producing biodiesel made from waste cooking oil with a pretreatment adsorption process using natural zeolite and green shell catalyst through the factorial design method, where from the results of the research carried out, it was found that the density and viscosity met the SNI, the biodiesel yield produced was 45-65% and the cetane number test on samples 3 and 7 was 34,7 and 34,2 which did not meet the SNI. The operating temperature and amount of catalyst used in the biodiesel manufacturing process produce biodiesel with good density, viscosity, and yield, namely at a temperature of 60°C and a catalyst content of 6 grams. The operating temperature of 65°C produces a smaller density because the boiling point of alcohol is 64.7°C, so the reaction process is not perfect.

Biofuel Production from Rubber Seeds by Pyrolysis Method using Natural Zeolite Catalyst

Rubber seed is rubber plant waste that has the potential as a source of bioenergy. Rubber seed contains 40-50% oil, and rubber seed shell contains lignocellulose (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin). Rubber and rubber seed shells can be converted into biofuel through the Pyrolysis Process. Pyrolysis is biomass decomposition with heat assistance without oxygen at 250oC-600oC. This research aimed to analyze the characteristics of biofuel products. This research was conducted using a pyrolysis reactor by controlling the temperature at 250oC, 300oC, 350oC, 400oC, and 450oC. The characteristics of biofuel produced in this study include density (1.0646 gr/ml), viscosity (5.417 mm2/s), flash point (88ºC), moisture content (30.4%), calorific value (7451.3997 Cal/g), and cetane number (32.9). Based on the results of biofuel analysis using GC-MS, the C atom chain was dominated by C5-C15 compounds at 44.41%.

A sustainable approach to managing city park waste through biochar as a renewable energy source

An abundant natural resource known as lignocellulosic biomass is seen to be a promising and sustainable alternative to renewable energy. A carbon-rich, porous substance called biochar is created when biomass is thermally decomposed during pyrolysis procedures in order to make biofuels. Biochar can be made in big industrial facilities or on a local scale. In order to limit the usage of fossil fuels and find a solution for managing urban park garbage, this project will examine the potential of biochar made from waste from city parks as a renewable energy source. A 25-gram natural zeolite catalyst was used to produce biochar at temperatures between 100 and 500 °C with sample weights of 50, 100, 150, and 200 grams. Calorimetric analysis, FTIR analysis, SEM analysis, XRF analysis, ultimate analysis, and proximate analysis are used to characterize the product. The results showed that the zeolite process produced the maximum calorific value of biochar at 6009.8 cal/gram, the highest yield of biochar at 200 °C, and the weight of 50 grams of biomass without a catalyst at 96%. Aliphatic OH and CH groups associated with phenols, alcohols, and carboxylic acids can be seen using FTIR analysis. Large holes can be seen in leaf litter biochar according to SEM examination. For biochar products, the XRF examination of the metal elements Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Rb, Sr, Na, Mg, Sr, and Pb is within the permitted limits. Leaf waste can be converted into a non-toxic renewable energy source because biochar has a low sulfur concentration of 4.0%. The findings of this study are anticipated to fill in some gaps left by earlier studies, particularly with regard to the use of garbage from municipal parks and the advancement of renewable energy sources..

Efektivitas Katalis Zeolit Alam Ende pada Pirolisis Polietilena dari Sampah Plastik

The high amount of plastic waste in landfills will pollute the environment. Direct combustion releases pollutants into the air, and recycling is only possible in small quantities. One method to overcome this problem is pyrolysis. However, pyrolysis requires a catalyst such as zeolite to accelerate the reaction rate, lower the activation energy, and improve the basic properties of the pyrolysis liquid. This study aims to characterize the activated natural zeolite Ende and determine the effect of the catalyst from the activated natural Ende zeolite on the activation energy, as well as the quality of the liquid resulting from the pyrolysis. Based on the research results, the activation process could change the degree of crystallinity became 36.63%, the surface area became 74.57 m2/g, the average radius became 20,21 Å, the pore volume became 72.34 cm3/g, and the number of acid sites became 4.342 NH3/g zeolite. Ende's active natural zeolite catalyst in the polyethylene pyrolysis process from plastic waste reduced the activation energy to 4,371.1 cal/mol in treating 0.10% catalyst composition from 1 kg of plastic. Increasing the temperature and catalyst improves the quality of pyrolysis oil, but the composition of the catalyst ratio is 0.10% of 1 kg of plastic.

Optimization for Kinetic Model of Oxidative Desulfurization of Sour Naphtha Over a Natural Base Zeolite Catalyst in a Three Phase Oscillatory Baffled Reactor

The oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of Iraqi sour naphtha was studied in a novel design of a heterogeneous catalytic reactor. Molecular oxygen was used as an oxidizing agent and a clay-based zeolite was used as a catalyst. The present work of ODS was conducted in a three-phase oscillatory baffled reactor under different operating conditions; temperature =25, 35, 45, and 55°C, residence times (1 – 14 min), Reynold number of oscillation (175, 235, 315), and net flow Reynolds number (25, 50, 75). A zeolitic base ODS catalyst was prepared and applied as a heterogeneous catalyst in the OBR unit. The aim of this study is to obtain the ODS kinetic parameters and concentration profile of the sulfur compounds in the naphtha cut. The model developed was based on the properties of the feedstock, characteristics of the catalyst, and operation conditions inside the OBR according to the experimental observations. To obtain the kinetic model parameters mass transfer and flow conditions were applied in the model network. The equations were employed in gPROMS software to simulate the experimental results of sulfur concentration remaining after completion of the ODS process. The set of equations was successful in simulating the experimental results with a 5% absolute error. The predicted data were used for optimizing the kinetic parameters to get the ODS kinetic parameters based on minimizing sulfur concentration.

Unveiling ZrO2/natural zeolite catalytic performance on hydrocracking palm oil mill effluent residue

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is the largest liquid waste from crude palm oil production. This liquid waste still contains a lot of chemical components, solid deposits, and oil which is dangerous if released directly into the environment. The residual oil and grease components contained in POME can be further extracted and converted into fuel fractions. This study investigates the conversion of residual oil from POME into fuel fractions through hydrocracking. A ZrO2/Sarulla natural zeolite (SNZ) catalyst was used, characterized by a particle size of 1-1.5 µm, a surface area of 73.3 m2/g, a pore volume of 0.161 cc/g, and a pore diameter of 3.35 nm. The effect of catalyst mass was studied, with the total conversion increasing to a certain extent with increasing catalyst mass, however, an increase in coke formation decreased the product yield. The highest gasoline fraction selectivity was obtained with a catalyst mass of 0.09 wt% (~42%), while the kerosene fraction was most obtained with a catalyst mass of 0.15 wt% (~40%). The liquid product with a catalyst mass of 0.15 wt% had the highest HHV of 44.2 MJ/kg, a 12% increase from the HHV of POME oil residue (39.4 MJ/kg). The results demonstrate the potential of using residual oil from POME as a source for fuel production and the use of natural zeolite-based catalysts as hydrocracking catalysts.

Reduction of Typical Diesel NOx Emissions by SCR-NH3 Using Metal-Exchanged Natural Zeolite and SBA-15 Catalysts

In this work, the catalytic performance of clinoptilolite (CLIN) and SBA-15 catalysts, doped with Fe and Cu, was evaluated in the selective catalytic reduction of NO using NH3 as a reducing agent (SCR-NH3). Both Cu-CLIN and Fe-CLIN were obtained by ion-exchange using natural clinoptilolite zeolite originating from the Hrabovec deposit (northeast Slovakia region). Cu-SBA-15 and Fe-SBA-15 were prepared by impregnation into SBA-15 mesoporous synthesized silica. Standard catalytic activity tests were carried out on a bench-scale laboratory apparatus using a reaction mixture of a standard test. GHSV of 48,000 h−1 was adopted based on the space velocity of a real NH3-SCR catalyst for diesel vehicles (100–550 °C). All Cu-doped samples showed better NO conversion values than Fe-doped samples. Clinoptilolite catalysts were more active than those based on SBA-15. Maximum NO conversions of about 96% were observed for Cu-CLIN and Fe-CLIN at 350–400 °C, respectively. Moreover, Fe-CLIN also showed higher stability in the presence of SO2 and water steam at 350 °C. These results demonstrate the potential of metal-doped natural clinoptilolite to be used as cost-effective catalysts applied to the abatement of NOx emissions generated in automotive combustion processes.

Natural zeolite catalyst for tar removal in biomass gasification Systems: Kinetics and effectiveness evaluation

This research aims to study abundant Jordanian zeolite in its natural form as a catalyst to eliminate tar, modelled by toluene, from gasification systems. Natural zeolite was characterized using TGA, BET, XRF, SEM and particle size analysis. The pseudo first-order kinetic parameters of thermal cracking and catalytic conversion reactions of toluene were determined at temperatures of 700 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C. It was found that thermal cracking, carbonization, and dry reforming reactions took place simultaneously. Natural zeolite achieved a greater degree of toluene conversion than that achieved with the thermal cracking, with the highest value of 79 % at 900 °C. The activation energy of the catalytic conversion of toluene reaction was found to be 62.1 kJ/mol while that of thermal cracking of toluene to be 85.0 kJ/mol. The presence of the catalyst lowered the activation energy. The thermal cracking test had a frequency factor of 1.5432 × 104 s−1, while the test employing Jordanian zeolite to catalyze the conversion of toluene had a frequency factor of 3.1754 × 103 s−1. Natural Jordanian zeolite proved to be a suitable catalyst that can be used in tar reforming processes in gasification systems, especially at 800 °C.

Integrated catalytic pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading of Leucaena leucocephala over natural catalysts

Catalysts are used to improve the properties of the bio-oil produced through biomass pyrolysis. In this study, natural minerals, such as natural zeolite and dolomite, were used for the catalytic upgrading of the pyrolysis of Leucaena leucocephala. Pyrolysis was performed using an in-house designed fluidized bed system wherein the catalyst beds can be placed in two locations. Dolomite and zeolite catalyst beds were placed in the primary fluidized bed and/or secondary hot filter reactors. Four catalyst configurations were utilized in this study. The effects of the type and location of the catalyst on the catalytic activity and product selectivity were investigated. The highest light bio-oil fraction was obtained using the dolomite catalyst situated at the primary and secondary reactors. On the other hand, the configuration in which the natural zeolite catalyst was placed in the two reactors produced heavy bio-oil that was mainly composed of hydrocarbons. The viscosity, flash point, and fly point of the bio-oil produced in this work fall within the standard values for fuel oils. In particular, the viscosity of the bio-oil produced using the catalysts was lower by 60% of that of the product obtained through noncatalytic biomass pyrolysis. The pyrolysis system employed in this study is a promising technology for catalytic biomass pyrolysis processes.

The Catalytic Activity of TCA-Modified Indonesian Natural Zeolite During the Esterification of Sengon Wood Bio-Oil

The bio-oil produced from the pyrolysis of biomass is highly corrosive due to the high content of organic acids. These organic acids could be removed through an appropriate upgrading process, i.e., esterification using alcohols to form less polar esters. In this study, the bio-oil used as the feedstock in the esterification was produced from the pyrolysis of Sengon wood with a particle size of 297 µm at 600 °C. The esterification was performed at 70 °C in the presence of a trichloro acetic acid (TCA)-modified Indonesian H-zeolite catalyst with various weight ratios of bio-oil-to-methanol and reaction times under a constant stirring rate of 500 rpm. The esterification progress was indicated by the decrease in the total acid number of the bio-oil after esterification. No significant coke formation (< 0.05 wt%) was observed indicating that the suppression of repolymerisation could be achieved. This study showed that the esterification underwent in a fast rate, indicated by the decrease in the total acid number of the bio-oil by 47.85 % only over a 15-min esterification. Compared to the uncatalysed esterification, the TCA/zeolite-catalysed esterification showed a higher decrease in the total acid number of the bio-oil up to 65.83 %, due to the conversion of the carboxylic acids to esters. HIGHLIGHTS The TCA-modified Indonesian natural zeolite catalyst has been successfully prepared The presence of the TCA/Indonesian natural zeolite during the esterification of bio-oil produced from the pyrolysis of Sengon wood could greatly suppress the severe repolymerisation leading to coke formation The TCA/Indonesian natural zeolite-catalysed esterification of Sengon bio-oil underwent in a fast rate The TCA/Indonesian natural zeolite catalyst showed a good performance in this study in comparison with the uncatalysed esterification GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Application of low-cost natural zeolite catalyst to enhance monoaromatics yield in co-pyrolysis of wheat straw and waste tire

This study explored the impacts of low-cost natural zeolite (NZ) catalyst application on production of aromatic hydrocarbons during co-pyrolysis of wheat straw (WS) and waste tire (WT). Various blend ratios of WS and WT (1:0,3:1,1:1,1:3 and 0:1) were investigated to determine the optimum ratio in the terms of oil quantity and quality. The blend ratio of WS:WT 1:3 was observed to be optimum combination with oil, char and gas yields of 45, 36 and 19 wt% respectively. The catalyst was found to have silicon to aluminum ratio (SAR), surface area and pore size of 7.39, 4.2 m2/g and 23.10 Å respectively. The incorporation of NZ catalyst into WS, WT and their blend ratio of 1:3 improved the quality of oil in the terms of hydrocarbons and physiochemical properties compared to their respective ratios in non-catalyst pyrolysis. The total hydrocarbons content was increased from 72.00 area% in case of non-catalytic pyrolysis of WS:WT (1:3) to 86 area% with addition of NZ while oxygenates were reduced from 20.20 to 10.50 area% respectively. The contents of desired aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) were increased to 61.0 area% in catalytic pyrolysis for WS:WT 1:3 compared to 45.59 area% in non-catalytic pyrolysis of the same combination. Moreover, the higher heating value (HHV) of 42.15 MJ/kg was observed in catalytic pyrolysis of WS:WT (1:3) compared to 40.70 MJ/kg in non-catalytic pyrolysis. Besides, Kinematic viscosity and density of the oil also improved with addition of catalyst.

Synthesis, Characterization and Activity Test of Natural Zirconium Zeolite (Zr-ZA) Catalyst in The Esterification Reaction of Glycerol with Acetic Acid Anhydride

Synthesis of Zr-ZA catalyst used as catalyst for esterification reaction of glycerol with acetic acid anhydrous has been done. Catalysts are characterized using an infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction, and measurement of surface acidity, while reaction products are characterized using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Effect of catalyst acidity, reaction time and re-addition of acetic acid anhydrous studied by glycerol conversion and selectivity value of triacetin were yielded. Infra-red spectrophotometer and X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalyst showed that the synthesized catalyst was zirconium zeolite (Zr-ZA), while esterification analysis using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer showed a triacetin product.

Hydrocracking Reaction of n-Hexadekane Using Nickel-Natural Zeolite Catalyst and Determination of Activation Energy (Ea) and Reaction Order

Research has been carried out on the preparation of active natural zeolite impregnated with nickel followed by activity testing through the hydrocracking catalytic reaction of n-Hexadecane. Active natural zeolite was obtained from PT Prima Zeolita Yogyakarta. The nickel concentration in the zeolite sample was carried out by ion exchange method with [Ni(NH3)6]2+ precursor solution with a concentration of 0.06M. The nickel content of the catalyst was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The hydrocracking reaction used a fixed bed reactor system. Ratio of feed (n-Hexadecane) : catalyst = 3 : 1 (in gram). Catalysis study also carried out at various temperatures, from 315oC - 450oC at certain nickel content. The results of the catalytic reaction at each temperature after passing through the cooling system there was a liquid fraction that had been successfully accommodated then weighed and determined the percent of conversion. Furthermore, for the determination of Ea and the order of the reaction using linear regression calculations. The results showed that the catalytic reaction using an active natural Ni-Zeolite catalyst in the n-Hexadecane hydrocracking process resulted in different conversion results depending on the temperature of the catalytic reaction. The largest conversion was obtained at a temperature of 450oC, which was 35.18%. The reaction order was the first-order reaction (n=1). Meanwhile, the activation energy or activation energy (Ea) of the catalytic reaction in the n-Hexadecane hydrocracking process using a natural Ni-Natural zeolite catalyst with a nickel content of 2.0% (w/w) was 127.071 kJmol-1.

Optimization of Biofuel Production from Used Cooking Oil Using Natural Zeolite Catalyst

Petroleum is still the primary energy used in the world. Its diminishing production is the trigger to find alternative energy to replace it. Biofuel is an alternative energy that has the potential to replace petroleum because it is renewable, environmentally friendly, and easy raw material. Waste such as used cooking oil can be used as raw material for making biofuels. The low price can reduce the cost of biofuel production. The conversion of oil into biofuel can be done using catalytic cracking with natural zeolite as a catalyst. This study aims to determine the optimum conditions for making biofuel from used cooking oil and determine its physical and chemical properties. The catalytic cracking process is carried out using an autoclave reactor. Used cooking oil and natural zeolite were introduced into the reactor, and the reaction was carried out by varying the time (1, 2, 3 hours), temperature (325, 350, 375 o C), catalyst concentration (3, 5, 7%), and catalyst size. The product is distilled to produce biofuel (liquid), gas, and residue. The optimization results show that 3 hours, a temperature of 375 o C, a catalyst concentration of 7%, and a catalyst size of 180 µm are the optimum conditions for catalytic cracking with 44.94% biofuel yield. The resulting biofuel contains 73.48% hydrocarbons and 26.52% fatty acids. The hydrocarbon composition consists of 19.32% gasoline, 12.82% kerosene, and 35.11% diesel. The density of the biofuel produced is 0.8835g/mL, the flashpoint is 68 o C, and the pourpoint is 27 o C.

Processing of Leucaena Leucocepphala for renewable energy with catalytic fast pyrolysis

This research aimed processing of Leucaena Leucocepphala in a fluidized-bed reactor with catalysts for renewable energy. The reaction was tested over different type of catalysts such as natural zeolite, kaolin and dolomite. These catalysts were loaded under the heating zone with a supplementary hot filter. The rate of feedstock added in the reactor was 1 kg/h and the pyrolysis temperature was 500 °C. Product yields was calculated after each experiment was completed.The results demonstrated an optimum bio-oil yield of 65.1 wt% after undergoing fast pyrolysis. A reduction in bio-oil yield was observed when natural zeolite, kaolin and dolomite was employed during fast pyrolysis. The minimum bio-oil yield recorded for the dolomite catalyst was 54.5 wt%. On the other hand, kaolin catalyst produces a maximum bio-oil yield of 59.6 wt%. The organic content of bio-oil from kaolin catalyst increased significantly compared with other catalysts. Addition of an ESP condenser, instead of water-cooled condenser resulted in bio-oil with the highest heating value (HHV). Higher heating value of bio-oil derived from natural zeolite catalyst maximized at 35.8 MJ/kg and 37.3 MJ/kg, respectively. The range of hydrocarbon component of bio-oil was C15–C44 for ESP condenser and C12–C35 for water-cooled condenser. The availability of bio-oil was optimized when natural zeolite catalyst added into the process. On the other hand, density and viscosity of bio-oil was increased when dolomite catalyst was used. Additionally, the presence of dolomite catalyst reduced acidic compounds such as 2-Octenoic acid (C8H14O2) and Methyl propiolate (C4H4O2) in the bio-oil. Bio-oil yield was found to be significantly improved by the large pore diameter and small surface area of the catalyst. Among the three catalysts in was observed that kaolin catalyst gave the highest bio-oil yield. Natural zeolite catalyst was found to improved bio-oil product’s thermal quality. However, bio-oil with better viscosity and lower acidity was produced from the dolomite catalyst.