Hydroprocessed Calophyllum inophyllum Oil for Linear Bio-alkane Fuel Production

Abstract

The used of vegetable oils in transesterified form is a common technological product for biofuel especially biodiesel.In order to develop a specification of biofuel, vegetable oils were converted into bio-alkane fuel by hydroprocessing technology. Selective bio-alkane fuel formation and higher heating value (HHV) of the product were investigated. Hydroprocessing of Calophyllum inophyllum oil as one of vegetable oil was carried out at ranges of parameter process (T = 320-350°C, PH2 = 1-4 MPa, t = 60-240 min, commercial NiMo/Al2O3 catalyst loading = 0-2.5 % mass of feed). Liquid product after hydroprocessed was analyzed to determine the formation of bio-alkane fuel composition and its calorific value. During hydroprocessing the fatty acids in Calophyllum inophyllum oil (mainly palmitic acid (C16), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2) were mainly converted into pentadecane (C15H32) and heptadecane (C17H36). Increase in temperature, hydrogen pressure, and amount of catalyst, the total percentage area of the bio-alkane fuel as well as HHV in the liquid product also increased. Finally, hydroprocessed Calophyllum inophyllum oil selectively produced pentadecane (C15H32) and heptadecane (C17H36) with small amount of nonane (C9H20), decane (C10H22), undecane (C11H24), dodecane (C12H26), tridecane (C13H28), tetradecane (C14H30), hexadecane (C16H34), octadecane (C18H38), nonadecane (C19H40), eicosane (C20H42), heneicosane (C21H44), docosane (C22H46), and tetracosane (C24H50).