Abstract
The titled reaction was examined as a possible route for the conversion of palm stearin into diesel fuel.
It was carried out by using 30g of palm stearin and 0.5g of the catalyst at 260°C for 4h under air bubbling at a flow rate of 100ml/min. The volatile material evolved during the reaction was collected in a trap cooled with liquid nitrogen followed by analysis of the components. Evaluation of the conversion of palm stearin fatty acids was carried out. Non-condensable gaseous products generated during the reaction were analyzed to observe the effects of Ni (II) ion-exchange on the reaction.
The yield of volatile material was 68%, and its components to which all the predominant peaks except the solvent peak on the gas chromatogram could be attributed, were identified and closed into constituents such as hydrocarbon, carboxylic acid, and aldehyde homologs. The hydrocarbon homolog constituted 60% of the volatile material, and its main constituent was pentadecane. The conversion of palm stearin fatty acids into other substances were ca. 52%. The results of gas analysis implied that Ni (II) ion-exchange functions as a new and different type of catalyst toward zeolite 13X with respect to the generation of carbon dioxide.
