(327g) Upgrading of Pyrolysis Oil by Hydroprocessing in a Packed Bed Flow Reactor

Raw bio-oil cannot be combusted as transportation fuel directly because it has a number of deleterious properties such as high acidity, high water content, lower heating value and variable viscosity over time. The negative bio-oil properties largely result from the high proportions of oxygenated compounds present in the bio-oil. For the production of a renewable fuel pyrolysis oil must be upgraded. Hydrodeoxygenation is one upgrading technology applied to produce viable hydrocarbons for transportation fuels. Previous hydrodeoxygenation studies have provided considerable information about upgrading of bio-oil, but further understanding of this route to hydrocarbons required. Information on the effect of bio-oil quality, various process parameters i.e. temperature, flow rate, pressure, effect of catalyst in order to achieve desirable product in terms of quality and quantity, and reduction of catalyst deactivation. In our current study we are hydroprocessing the bio-oil in two stages. For the stage 1 hydrotreating process a batch reactor is utilized. For the hydrocracking stage the bio-oil is treated by a continuous reactor. This route simulates a future method by which we will produce stage 1 hydrotreated bio-oil by a simpler method than is currently available via hydrotreating. This process is being developed concurrently with the hydrodeoxygenation research. The studies for stage 2, hydrocracking was carried out in a continuous reactor using the hydrotreated bio-oil from the batch process to ease the hydrocracking reaction in the continuous reactor by avoiding catalyst coking and continuing the runs for longer time with better yield. The results obtained are analyzed for acid value, oxygen content, heating value. Different process parameters and catalysts were studied to obtain better yield with minimum deactivation of the catalyst.