O-13 Hydrocarbon Production from Lipids with Catalytic Cracking Process

Abstract

With the aim of the efficient utilization of lipids as alternative fuels, the deoxygenation of triglycerides and wax esters in a catalytic cracking process was investigated. Even under hydrogen-free atmosphere, most oxygens contained in the feedstocks were removed as H₂O by hydrogen transfer reaction. The decomposition and deoxygenation of unsaturated triglycerides proceeded rapidly and produced a large amount of polyaromatics, whereas the deoxygenation of saturated triglycerides was slow. In the co-processing of saturated and unsaturated triglycerides, the acceleration of saturated triglyceride deoxygenation and the suppression of polyaromatics formation was achieved simultaneously by the synergistic effect. In the case of wax ester cracking, rapid deoxygenation with low aromatics formation was observed. This is because wax esters rapidly produce saturated fatty acids and higher olefins, which can react synergistically.