(375a) Glycerol to Hydrocarbon Fuels Via Bifunctional Catalysts

Utilization of byproduct glycerol will improve biodiesel industry in terms of both economics and sustainability. Conversion of glycerol to hydrocarbon (GTH) fuels is one of the promising options, which provides additional renewable energy besides biodiesel, and contributes further to independence from fossil fuels. In the present work, bifunctional catalysts (Pt/H-ZSM-5 and Pd/H-ZSM-5) were selected, prepared, characterized and tested for GTH conversion. Both catalysts convert glycerol to hydrocarbon fuels with a high aromatic hydrocarbon yield. A mechanism via hydrodeoxygenation and aromatization was proposed and discussed on the basis of experimental observations. By varying the space velocity, kinetic data was acquired. The rate constants and activation energies for each sub-reaction in the network were obtained based on the power-law model.