Co-processing bio-liquids with vacuum gasoil through hydrocracking

• Published in: Applied catalysis. B, Environmental Vol. 304; p. 120911
• Main Authors: Bouzouita, Donia, Lelevic, Aleksandra, Lorentz, Chantal, Venderbosch, Robbie, Pedersen, Thomas H., Geantet, Christophe, Schuurman, Yves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2022; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bifunctional catalysis; Biofuels; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemical Sciences; Conversion; Distillates; Distillation; Environment and Society; Environmental Sciences; Gas chromatography; Gas oil; Gas production; Hydrocracking; Hydrodesulfurization; Hydrothermal liquefaction; Liquefaction; Liquids; Middle distillates; Naphtha; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Oil and gas production; Pyrolysis; Pyrolysis oil; Quantitative distribution; Saturated hydrocarbons; Selectivity; Vacuum; Middle distillates; Pyrolysis oil; Bifunctional catalysis; Biofuels; Hydrothermal liquefaction
• ISSN: 0926-3373; 1873-3883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120911

Hydrocracking converts heavy feeds mainly into middle distillate products. Co-processing these bio-feeds with vacuum gas oil is a possible production route for biofuels. Stabilized bio-liquid from fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction bio-crude were mixed with vacuum gas oil (10–20 wt%) and hydrocracked over a bifunctional catalyst. The impact of the bio-liquids on conversion and middle distillate selectivity were investigated. The liquid products were analyzed by several methods such as 2-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with simulated distillation to obtain quantitative distribution of monoaromatics, polyaromatics and saturated hydrocarbons. A quantification study of different types of carbons was performed by 13C NMR and showed the evolution of products. The nature of bio-liquid impacts slightly on the conversion and gas production but not on the selectivity of middle distillates and naphtha. This is explained by a decoupled hydrodeoxygenation and hydrocracking process. This also resulted in a high hydrodesulfurization conversion. [Display omitted] •VGO and VGO/bio-liquid hydrocracking experiments were carried out in a semi-batch reactor.•The impact of stabilized and deoxygenated pyrolysis oil as well as HTL biocrude were investigated.•Hydrodesulfurization is not impacted by the presence of bio-liquids.•Hydrodeoxygenation precedes hydrocracking.•Middle distillates or naphtha selectivity and composition are not impacted by co-processing.