Estudo do processo de upgrading catalítico de vapores da pirólise de gordura residual em reator de leito fixo com catalisador carvão ativado impregnado com NAOH

Abstract

This work investigated influence of reaction time and catalyst-to-residual fat ratio by catalytic upgrading from pyrolysis vapors of residual fat at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, on the yields of reaction products, physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value) and chemical composition of bio-oils, over a catalyst fixed bed reactor of activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH, in semi pilot scale. The experiments were carried out at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using a process schema consisting of a thermal cracking reactor of 2.0 L coupled to a catalyst fixed bed reactor of 53 mL, without catalyst and using 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (wt.) activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH, in batch mode. Results show yields of bio-oil decreasing with increasing catalyst-to-feed ratio. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, ring-containing alkanes, ring-containing alkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, and aldehydes). Physico-chemical and compositional analysis show that cracking occurred along the carbon chain present in triglycerides and fatty acids initially present, producing gaseous hydrocarbons. Tha activated carbon catalyst was not selective for the liquid biooil deoxygenation, but the obtained results are of great value for understanding the catalytic cracking reaction mechanism.