CATALYTIC UPGRADATION OF BIO-OIL

Abstract

Bio-oil is a potential liquid fuel source which can be produced through the pyrolysis of biomass. It is the mixture of oxygen containing compounds, involving acids, aldehydes, phenols, ketones, furans, guaiacols and sugars. These oxygen containing compounds are responsible for undesirable properties such as low heating value, high acidity, instability, high viscosity and immiscibility with petroleum fuel. Therefore, removing unnecessary oxygen atoms is required for bio-oil upgradation. The aim of this study was to upgrade the bio-oil by two different methods, namely, hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and co-processing with Vacuum gas oil (VGO) in Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC). The HDO upgrading of bio-oil produced from pyrolyzed pine saw dust using different Fe-Co/Al2O3 catalysts were conducted in a batch reactor at 300 0C and 500 psig of hydrogen. Catalytic effect of Fe-Co/Al2O3 catalysts were investigated in the formation of upgraded bio oil. Bimetallic Fe-Co/Al2O3 catalysts show higher activity for hydrodeoxygenation when compared with Fe/Al2O3 and Co/Al2O3 catalysts. Physicochemical properties of the upgraded bio-oil including viscosity, density, heating value and carbon content improved compared to raw bio-oil. Same raw bio-oil was co processed with VGO in FCC microactivity testing unit where bio-oil and VGO were introduced in different wt% (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10) in the fixed bed reactor at a reaction temperature of 5100C. The comparison study showed that maximum gasoline yield (47.98%) and conversion (75.67%) were obtained with 6wt% of bio-oil in VGO. Due to Lower price of bio-oil compare to VGO makes the process economically a viable alternative.