Catalytic Cracking of Biomass Flash Pyrolysis Liquids

Abstract

This paper reports results of investigations conventional liquid fuels via catalytic cracking of biomass flash pyrolysis liquids (BFPL). A microactivity fixed deb testing unit (MAT) was applied for for the selection of the most appropriate catalyst. A special feed system was designed for the bio-oil feed in a 1/1 wt. solution with methanol. Optimum conditions for testing were selected using HZSM-%, a common de-oxygenation catalyst. A high residue conversion was measured (~95% wt.) accompanied by high coke production (~15%), corresponding to a minimum coke in the catalyst of 7.5%. The performance of typycal FCC catalyst in the catalytic cracking of biomass flash pyrolysis liquids, was also studied in order to explore the possibility of feeding this feedstock in an ordinary FCC unit. A number of comercially FCC catalyst were tested. These catalyst were found to be inactive unless ZSM-5 was included. Moreover, the achieved degree of deoxygenation was very poor due to the low activity of the catalyst. Thus, the obtained liquid product contained a high water content (~30% wt.) and low molecular oxygenated compounds. Only de formation of some benzens indicates the catalystic deoxygenation activity of ZSM-5. The direc introduction of such a feedstock in ordinary FCC units seems to be at this time impracticable due to extensive coking.