ENGINEERING JOURNAL CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY

Volume 27, No. 02, Month AUGUST, Year 2020, Pages 180 - 190

Bio fuel from bio-oil by pyrolytic catalysis on dolomite

Sawangthip Palalerd, Tinakorn Kumsaen and Kitirote Wantala

Abstract Download PDF

The aim of this work was to study the efficiency of biofuel production from bio-oils (Palm oil (PO) and Waste cooking oil (WCO)) in pack-bed reactor with reaction temperature at 450, 500, 550°C under atmospheric pressure and WHSV of 0.5 h-1. The dolomite as a catalyst were pressed to cylindrical pellets and then calcined at 600°C for 4 hr. The physical and chemical properties of catalysts were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorptiondesorption and Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The results found that the main compositions of catalyst were CaO, SiO2 and Fe2O3. In addition, the crystalline structures of catalyst before calcination appeared Ca(OH)2, CaCO3, CaO and SiO2. However, after calcination the crystalline structures showed Ca(OH)2, CaO, SiO2. The specific surface area decreased because of the phase transformation and thermal decomposition to oxide form of catalyst. The surface morphology of dolomite before calcination showed large particle sizes and smooth surface. The morphology was different after calcination, which obvious in small particle sizes and roughness surface. The highest pyrolytic oil products of PO and WCO were about 90%. Additionally, the products of PO reacted at 450°C gave the highest products, whereas the products of WCO reacted at 550°C showed the highest product yield. The liquid products were distilled following ASTM D86 to separate gasoline and diesel oils. Then, the properties of distilled products were analyzed for viscosity and heating value following ASTM D445 and ASTM D240, respectively. The heating value and viscosity of distilled products followed the standard values. Therefore, this process can produce the bio-fuel oils.

Keywords

Continuous process; Palm oil; Waste cooking oil; Dolomite catalyst

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