Publication Date:
2011-01-25
Description:
Deoxygenation is a critical step in making hydrocarbon-rich biofuels from biomass constituents. Although the thermal effects of oxygenate aromatization have been widely reported, the effect of pressure on this critical reaction has not yet been closely investigated, one primary reason being the unavailability of a reactor that can pyrolyze oxygenates, especially those in solid form, under pressurized conditions. Here, the first of a series of studies on how oxygenates behave when catalytically pyrolyzed under elevated pressure and temperature conditions is reported. Methanol, the simplest alcohol, was selected as the candidate to study the chemical phenomena that occur under pressurized catalytic pyrolysis. The reactions were carried out over the shape-selective catalyst ZSM-5 (SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 = 30) under varying pressure (0 to 2.0684 MPa (300 psi) in 0.3447 MPa (50 psi) increments) and temperature (500 to 800 °C in 50 °C increments) conditions. Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes (BTEX) were analyzed as the deoxygenated products of the reaction. The results indicate that the reactor pressure significantly affects deoxygenated product composition. Methanol with the potential to be synthesized via renewable feedstocks is a good substitution for petroleum fuel if the process economics were scaled down. One way to address this issue is the development of the process to a level with high hydrocarbon yield. Pressure proved to be an important parameter to achieve higher selectivity toward hydrocarbons.
Print ISSN:
0930-7516
Electronic ISSN:
1521-4125
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
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