Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of black soldier fly larval lipids and co-processing with vacuum gas oil into biofuel intermediates

Abstract

The aviation industry's decarbonization requires sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstocks that do not compete with food resources. In this context, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) lipids represent a non-food, second-generation feedstock with strong potential for drop-in SAF production. This work presents an integrated evaluation of BSFL-derived lipids hydroprocessed over a commercial Ce/La-doped NiMo/Al₂O₃ catalyst across batch, continuous, and co-processing modes. In batch hydrodeoxygenation (HDO), oxygen was consistently reduced to below the analytical limit of detection, with oil yields averaging 66.3 wt% and reaching a maximum of 72.2 wt%. Maximum kerosene- and diesel-range yields were 37.8 wt% and 29.0 wt%, respectively. Pressure was the dominant factor affecting yields, with temperature–pressure interactions being most significant, while stirring improved performance under mass-transfer-limited conditions. Continuous fixed-bed HDO runs showed that efficient catalyst wetting was achieved at LHSV 0.5 h⁻¹ and H₂/oil ≥800 mL mL⁻¹, conditions under which selectivity shifted toward HDO rather than decarboxylation/decarbonylation (deCO_x). Co-processing BSFL lipids with vacuum gas oil enhanced hydrogen availability, promoted HDO over deCO_x pathways, and yielded high kerosene- and diesel-range fractions, demonstrating the potential for integration of insect-derived lipids into existing refinery infrastructure.