Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 22 No 1 (2018): 8 - 16

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2018-2201-02

 

 

 

CATALYTIC CRACKING OF USED VEGETABLE OIL TO GREEN FUEL WITH METAL FUNCTIONALIZED ZSM-5 CATALYSTS

 

(Pemecahan Bermangkin Minyak Sayur Terpakai kepada Bahan Api Hijau dengan Pemangkin ZSM-5 Berfungsi Logam)

 

Mohamed Azeem Abdul Majed and Ching Thian Tye*

 

School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus

Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia

 

^*Corresponding author:  chcttye@usm.my

 

 

Received: 6 September 2017; Accepted: 8 January 2018

 

 

Abstract

Depletion of fossil fuel reserves and environmental issue have led to the development of biofuels. Plant derived oil, such as palm oil, has been claimed as one of the promising source of renewable energy. However, high oxygen content in palm oil makes it unsuitable to be directly used as fuel. In the present study, the performance of Ni/ZSM-5, Mo/ZSM-5 and NiMo/ZSM-5 catalysts was investigated in catalytic cracking of used vegetable oil (UVO) into green fuel. The catalytic cracking reactions were carried out in a fixed bed reactor at 4 hour^-1(WHSV), continuously for 3 hours. Conversions of the two major fatty acids: palmitic acid (84.72%) and stearic acid (74.10%) were found highest at 350 °C with Mo/ZSM-5. The optimum palmitic acid and stearic acid conversion with Mo/ZSM-5 were found at 400 °C. Comparison study was also done with Pd/Al₂O₃ at 400 °C for its performance in catalytic cracking of UVO. Similar conversion for palmitic acid was obtained for Mo/ZSM-5 (84.72%) and Pd/Al₂O₃ (86.37%) at steady state. However, system with Mo/ZSM-5 as catalyst approached steady state earlier at 60 mins compared to that of Pd/Al₂O₃ at 120 minutes.

 

Keywords:  catalytic cracking, used vegetable oil, green fuel, ZSM-5  

 

Abstrak

Penurunan rizab bahan api fosil dan isu alam sekitar telah membawa kepada pembangunan bahan api bio. Minyak daripada tumbuhan, seperti minyak kelapa sawit telah dituntut sebagai salah satu sumber tenaga boleh diperbaharui yang menjanjikan. Namun, kandungan oksigen yang tinggi dalam minyak kelapa sawit menjadikannya tidak sesuai digunakan secara terus sebagai bahan bakar. Dalam kajian ini, prestasi pemangkin Ni/ZSM-5, Mo/ZSM-5 dan NiMo/ZSM-5 telah diuji dalam pemecahan bermangkin minyak sayuran terpakai (UVO) kepada bahan api hijau. Tindak balas pemecahan bermangkin tersebut adalah dijalankan dalam reaktor lapisan tetap pada 4 jam^-1 (WHSV), secara berterusan selama 3 jam. Penukaran kedua-dua asid lemak utama: asid palmitik (84.72%) dan asid stearik (74.10%) didapati paling tinggi pada 350 °C dengan Mo/ZSM-5. Penukaran optimum asid palmitik dan asid stearik dengan Mo/ZSM-5 didapati pada 400 °C. Kajian perbandingan juga dilakukan dengan Pd/Al₂O₃ pada suhu 400 °C untuk prestasinya dalam pemecahan bermangkin UVO. Penukaran yang sama telah diperolehi untuk asid palmitik dengan Mo/ZSM-5 (84.72%) dan Pd/Al₂O₃ (86.37%) pada keadaan mantap. Namun begitu, sistem yang menggunakan Mo/ZSM-5 sebagai pemangkin mencecah keadaan mantap lebih awal pada 60 minit berbanding dengan Pd/Al₂O₃ pada 120 minit.

 

Kata kunci:  pemecahan bermangkin, minyak sayuran terpakai, bahan api hijau, ZSM-5

 

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