Issue 5, 2016

Hydrodeoxygenation of microalgae oil to green diesel over Pt, Rh and presulfided NiMo catalysts

Abstract

The catalytic characteristics, activity and selectivity of 1% Pt/Al2O3, 0.5% Rh/Al2O3 and presulfided NiMo/Al2O3 catalysts have been investigated in the hydrodeoxygenation of microalgae (Nannochloropsis salina) oil to produce green diesel in a microreactor. Coke accumulation decreased in the order NiMo > Pt > Rh. The amount of formed coke over NiMo increased with reaction duration, while no on-stream time dependence was found over Pt and Rh. Rhodium was found to be very active for CH4 production via hydrocracking at its freshly reduced state. The activity and selectivity of all three investigated catalysts were positively affected by increased reaction pressure, temperature, H2/oil ratio and residence time. The selectivity of NiMo for the hydrodehydration (DHYD) route was changed to a hydrodecarbonylation/hydrodecarboxylation (DCO/DCO2) route at a reduced H2/oil ratio and residence time, while the selectivity of Pt and Rh for the DCO/DCO2 route was not affected by the reaction conditions. The highest hydrocarbon yield, 76.5%, was obtained over 1% Pt (310 °C, 500 psig, 1000 SmL mL−1 gas/oil ratio, 1.5 s residence time), which is 13.8% higher than that over NiMo (360 °C, 500 psig, 1000 SmL mL−1 gas/oil ratio, 1 s residence time). The 50 °C decrease in the reaction temperature for Pt indicates possible energy saving via heat supply.

Graphical abstract: Hydrodeoxygenation of microalgae oil to green diesel over Pt, Rh and presulfided NiMo catalysts

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Aug 2015
Accepted
27 Sep 2015
First published
29 Sep 2015

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2016,6, 1442-1454

Author version available

Hydrodeoxygenation of microalgae oil to green diesel over Pt, Rh and presulfided NiMo catalysts

L. Zhou and A. Lawal, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2016, 6, 1442 DOI: 10.1039/C5CY01307K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements