Co-processing of hydrothermal liquefaction algal bio-oil and petroleum feedstock to fuel-like hydrocarbons via fluid catalytic cracking

Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez; Robert Pace; Tonya Morgan; Craig Behnke; Daniel J. Sajkowski; Angelos Lappas; Mark Crocker

doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2019.02.018

Co-processing of hydrothermal liquefaction algal bio-oil and petroleum feedstock to fuel-like hydrocarbons via fluid catalytic cracking

Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez, Robert Pace, Tonya Morgan, Craig Behnke, Daniel J. Sajkowski, Angelos Lappas, Mark Crocker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

In order to assess the utility of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) for upgrading bio-oils derived from the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae, 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil was blended with heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) and co-processed in a Short Contact Time Microactivity unit. Compared to pure HVGO, addition of 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil caused a modest decrease in conversion at all catalyst-to-oil ratios, with marginally increased catalyst coking being observed for the blended feed. The resulting liquid products contained a higher percentage of decant oil (DCO) and a lower percentage of gasoline than those obtained when HVGO alone was employed as feed, the amount of light cycle oil (LCO) being similar in both cases. Nearly complete heteroatom removal from the blended feed was observed, the extent of denitrogenation achieved being particularly noteworthy given that nitrogen-bearing compounds are much more abundant in algae-derived bio-oils than in HVGO. Overall, results indicated that while 10% bio-oil in HVGO would be economically unfavorable when compared to upgrading HVGO alone, it is nonetheless amenable to co-processing and may offer advantages over pyrolysis oils as an FCC feed. Finally, additional means to optimize the commercial application of this process are proposed based on techno-economic considerations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	164-171
Number of pages	8
Journal	Fuel Processing Technology
Volume	188
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2019.02.018
State	Published - Jun 1 2019

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Dr. Neil Osterwalder of Sapphire Energy as well as Drs. William Prevatt and Walter Alvarez from Philipps 66 for fruitful discussions. Dr. Justin Mobley is thanked for his technical assistance. Vanessa Song is thanked for her assistance with the graphical abstract. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1531637 . The National Science Foundation had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit this article for publication. Appendix A

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Dr. Neil Osterwalder of Sapphire Energy as well as Drs. William Prevatt and Walter Alvarez from Philipps 66 for fruitful discussions. Dr. Justin Mobley is thanked for his technical assistance. Vanessa Song is thanked for her assistance with the graphical abstract. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1531637. The National Science Foundation had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit this article for publication.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Co-processing
Denitrogenation
Deoxygenation
Desulfurization
Microalgal bio-crude
Vacuum gas oil

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemical Engineering (all)
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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10.1016/j.fuproc.2019.02.018

Cite this

@article{c23ffa287af44beb87b5a51768e60cc9,

title = "Co-processing of hydrothermal liquefaction algal bio-oil and petroleum feedstock to fuel-like hydrocarbons via fluid catalytic cracking",

abstract = "In order to assess the utility of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) for upgrading bio-oils derived from the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae, 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil was blended with heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) and co-processed in a Short Contact Time Microactivity unit. Compared to pure HVGO, addition of 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil caused a modest decrease in conversion at all catalyst-to-oil ratios, with marginally increased catalyst coking being observed for the blended feed. The resulting liquid products contained a higher percentage of decant oil (DCO) and a lower percentage of gasoline than those obtained when HVGO alone was employed as feed, the amount of light cycle oil (LCO) being similar in both cases. Nearly complete heteroatom removal from the blended feed was observed, the extent of denitrogenation achieved being particularly noteworthy given that nitrogen-bearing compounds are much more abundant in algae-derived bio-oils than in HVGO. Overall, results indicated that while 10% bio-oil in HVGO would be economically unfavorable when compared to upgrading HVGO alone, it is nonetheless amenable to co-processing and may offer advantages over pyrolysis oils as an FCC feed. Finally, additional means to optimize the commercial application of this process are proposed based on techno-economic considerations.",

keywords = "Co-processing, Denitrogenation, Deoxygenation, Desulfurization, Microalgal bio-crude, Vacuum gas oil",

author = "Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez and Robert Pace and Tonya Morgan and Craig Behnke and Sajkowski, {Daniel J.} and Angelos Lappas and Mark Crocker",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr. Neil Osterwalder of Sapphire Energy as well as Drs. William Prevatt and Walter Alvarez from Philipps 66 for fruitful discussions. Dr. Justin Mobley is thanked for his technical assistance. Vanessa Song is thanked for her assistance with the graphical abstract. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1531637 . The National Science Foundation had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit this article for publication. Appendix A Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr. Neil Osterwalder of Sapphire Energy as well as Drs. William Prevatt and Walter Alvarez from Philipps 66 for fruitful discussions. Dr. Justin Mobley is thanked for his technical assistance. Vanessa Song is thanked for her assistance with the graphical abstract. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1531637. The National Science Foundation had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit this article for publication. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 Elsevier B.V.",

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language = "English",

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T1 - Co-processing of hydrothermal liquefaction algal bio-oil and petroleum feedstock to fuel-like hydrocarbons via fluid catalytic cracking

AU - Santillan-Jimenez, Eduardo

AU - Pace, Robert

AU - Morgan, Tonya

AU - Behnke, Craig

AU - Sajkowski, Daniel J.

AU - Lappas, Angelos

AU - Crocker, Mark

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr. Neil Osterwalder of Sapphire Energy as well as Drs. William Prevatt and Walter Alvarez from Philipps 66 for fruitful discussions. Dr. Justin Mobley is thanked for his technical assistance. Vanessa Song is thanked for her assistance with the graphical abstract. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1531637 . The National Science Foundation had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit this article for publication. Appendix A Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Dr. Neil Osterwalder of Sapphire Energy as well as Drs. William Prevatt and Walter Alvarez from Philipps 66 for fruitful discussions. Dr. Justin Mobley is thanked for his technical assistance. Vanessa Song is thanked for her assistance with the graphical abstract. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1531637. The National Science Foundation had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit this article for publication. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2019/6/1

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N2 - In order to assess the utility of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) for upgrading bio-oils derived from the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae, 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil was blended with heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) and co-processed in a Short Contact Time Microactivity unit. Compared to pure HVGO, addition of 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil caused a modest decrease in conversion at all catalyst-to-oil ratios, with marginally increased catalyst coking being observed for the blended feed. The resulting liquid products contained a higher percentage of decant oil (DCO) and a lower percentage of gasoline than those obtained when HVGO alone was employed as feed, the amount of light cycle oil (LCO) being similar in both cases. Nearly complete heteroatom removal from the blended feed was observed, the extent of denitrogenation achieved being particularly noteworthy given that nitrogen-bearing compounds are much more abundant in algae-derived bio-oils than in HVGO. Overall, results indicated that while 10% bio-oil in HVGO would be economically unfavorable when compared to upgrading HVGO alone, it is nonetheless amenable to co-processing and may offer advantages over pyrolysis oils as an FCC feed. Finally, additional means to optimize the commercial application of this process are proposed based on techno-economic considerations.

AB - In order to assess the utility of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) for upgrading bio-oils derived from the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae, 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil was blended with heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) and co-processed in a Short Contact Time Microactivity unit. Compared to pure HVGO, addition of 10 wt% HTL algae bio-oil caused a modest decrease in conversion at all catalyst-to-oil ratios, with marginally increased catalyst coking being observed for the blended feed. The resulting liquid products contained a higher percentage of decant oil (DCO) and a lower percentage of gasoline than those obtained when HVGO alone was employed as feed, the amount of light cycle oil (LCO) being similar in both cases. Nearly complete heteroatom removal from the blended feed was observed, the extent of denitrogenation achieved being particularly noteworthy given that nitrogen-bearing compounds are much more abundant in algae-derived bio-oils than in HVGO. Overall, results indicated that while 10% bio-oil in HVGO would be economically unfavorable when compared to upgrading HVGO alone, it is nonetheless amenable to co-processing and may offer advantages over pyrolysis oils as an FCC feed. Finally, additional means to optimize the commercial application of this process are proposed based on techno-economic considerations.

KW - Co-processing

KW - Denitrogenation

KW - Deoxygenation

KW - Desulfurization

KW - Microalgal bio-crude

KW - Vacuum gas oil

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Co-processing of hydrothermal liquefaction algal bio-oil and petroleum feedstock to fuel-like hydrocarbons via fluid catalytic cracking

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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