Thermal Cracking Approach Investigation to Improve Biodiesel Properties
Biodiesel as an alternative diesel fuel is steadily gaining more attention and significance. However, there are some drawbacks while using biodiesel regarding its properties that requires it to be blended with petrol based diesel and/or additives to improve the fuel characteristics. This study analyses thermal cracking as an alternative technology to improve biodiesel characteristics in which, FAME based biodiesel produced by transesterification of castor oil is fed into a continuous thermal cracking reactor at temperatures range of 450-500°C and flowrate range of 20-40 g/hr. Experiments designed by response surface methodology and subsequent statistical studies show that temperature and feed flowrate significantly affect the products yield. Response surfaces were used to study the impact of temperature and flowrate on the product properties. After each experiment, the produced crude bio-oil was distilled and diesel cut was separated. As shorter chain molecules are produced through thermal cracking, the distillation curve of the diesel cut fitted more with petrol based diesel curve in comparison to the biodiesel. Moreover, the produced diesel cut properties adequately pose within property ranges defined by the related standard of petrol based diesel. Cold flow properties, high heating value as the main drawbacks of the biodiesel are improved by this technology. Thermal cracking decreases kinematic viscosity, Flash point and cetane number.
[1] Mingxin Guo, W., Jeremy Buhain, Bioenergy and biofuels: History,
status, and perspective. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,
2015. 42: p. 712–725.
[2] Fangrui Ma, M.A.H., Biodiesel production: a review. Bioresource
Technology, 1999. 70: p. 1-15.
[3] ASTM, Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel Blend Stock (B100)
for Middle Distillate Fuels. 2005, Annual Book of ASTM Standards:
Philadelphia. p. 609–614.
[4] R. Parvizsedghy, S.M.S., Consequence modeling of hazardous accidents
in a supercritical biodiesel plant. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2014.
66: p. 282-289.
[5] Hoekman SK, B.A., Robbins C, Ceniceros E, Natarajan M, Review of
biodiesel composition, properties, and specifications. Renewable
Sustainable Energy 2012. 16: p. 143–169.
[6] EIA, Monthly biodiesel production report. 2014, Energy Information
Administration: Washington, DC:U.S.
[7] Bjørn Donnis, R.G.E., Peder Blom, Kim Grøn Knudsen,
Hydroprocessing of bio-oils and oxygenates to hydrocarbons.
Understanding the reaction routes. Topics in Catalysis, 2009. 52(3): p.
229-240.
[8] D. Luna, J. C., E. D. Sancho, C. Luna, A. Posadillo, F.M. Bautista, A.A.
Romero, J. Berbel, C. Verdugo, Technological challenges for the
production of biodiesel in arid lands. Journal of Arid Environments,
2014. 102: p. 127-138.
[9] Yan Luo, I. A., Alena Kubátová, Jana Šťávová, Ted Aulich, S.M.
Sadrameli, W. S. Seames, The thermal cracking of soybean/canola oils
and their methyl esters. Fuel Processing Technology, 2010. 91: p. 613-
617.
[10] Shin H-Y, L. S.-M., Bae S-Y, Oh SC, Thermal decomposition and
stability of fatty acid methyl esters in supercritical methanol. Anal Appl
Pyrol, 2011. 92: p. 332–8.
[11] Ronghong Lin, Y. Z., Lawrence L. Tavlarides, Mechanism and kinetics
of thermal decomposition of biodiesel fuel. Fuel, 2013. 106: p. 593-604.
[12] Wayne Seames, Y. L., Irshad Ahmed, Ted Aulich, Alena Kubatova, Jana
Stavova, Evguenii Kozliak, The thermal cracking of canola and soybean
methyl esters: Improvement of cold flow properties. Biomas and
Bioenergy, 2010. 34: p. 939-946.
[13] Seames W, L.Y., Ahmed I, Aulich T, Kubátová A, Št’ávová J, et al, The
thermal cracking of canola and soybean methyl esters: improvement of
cold flow properties. Biomass Bioenergy 2010, 2010. 34: p. 939–46.
[14] D86-12, A., Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum
Products at Atmospheric Pressure. 2012, ASTM International: West
Conshohocken, PA.
[15] Bradley, N., The Response Surface Methodology. 2007: Indiana
University of South Bend.
[16] B. S. Greensfelder, H. H. V., G. M. Good, Catalytic and Thermal
Cracking of Pure Hvdrocarbons- Mechanism of Reactions. Industrial
and engineering chemistry, 1949. 41.
[17] Gerhard Knothe, K.R.S., Kinematic viscosity of biodiesel fuel
components and related compounds. Influence of compound structure
and comparison to petrodiesel fuel components. Fuel, 2005. 84: p.
1059–1065.
[18] Knothe, G., Dependence of biodiesel fuel properties on the structure of
fatty acid alkyl esters. Fuel Processing Technology, 2005. 86: p. 1059–
1070.
[19] Ellis, S. J. R. a. N., Use of Isomerization and Hydroisomerization
Reactions to Improve the Cold Flow Properties of Vegetable Oil Based
Biodiesel. Energie, 2013. 6: p. 619-633.
[20] Wang, L., Yu, H., Biodiesel from Siberian apricot (Prunus sibirica) seed
kernel oil. Bioresource Technology, 2012. 112: p. 3-3585.
[1] Mingxin Guo, W., Jeremy Buhain, Bioenergy and biofuels: History,
status, and perspective. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,
2015. 42: p. 712–725.
[2] Fangrui Ma, M.A.H., Biodiesel production: a review. Bioresource
Technology, 1999. 70: p. 1-15.
[3] ASTM, Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel Blend Stock (B100)
for Middle Distillate Fuels. 2005, Annual Book of ASTM Standards:
Philadelphia. p. 609–614.
[4] R. Parvizsedghy, S.M.S., Consequence modeling of hazardous accidents
in a supercritical biodiesel plant. Applied Thermal Engineering, 2014.
66: p. 282-289.
[5] Hoekman SK, B.A., Robbins C, Ceniceros E, Natarajan M, Review of
biodiesel composition, properties, and specifications. Renewable
Sustainable Energy 2012. 16: p. 143–169.
[6] EIA, Monthly biodiesel production report. 2014, Energy Information
Administration: Washington, DC:U.S.
[7] Bjørn Donnis, R.G.E., Peder Blom, Kim Grøn Knudsen,
Hydroprocessing of bio-oils and oxygenates to hydrocarbons.
Understanding the reaction routes. Topics in Catalysis, 2009. 52(3): p.
229-240.
[8] D. Luna, J. C., E. D. Sancho, C. Luna, A. Posadillo, F.M. Bautista, A.A.
Romero, J. Berbel, C. Verdugo, Technological challenges for the
production of biodiesel in arid lands. Journal of Arid Environments,
2014. 102: p. 127-138.
[9] Yan Luo, I. A., Alena Kubátová, Jana Šťávová, Ted Aulich, S.M.
Sadrameli, W. S. Seames, The thermal cracking of soybean/canola oils
and their methyl esters. Fuel Processing Technology, 2010. 91: p. 613-
617.
[10] Shin H-Y, L. S.-M., Bae S-Y, Oh SC, Thermal decomposition and
stability of fatty acid methyl esters in supercritical methanol. Anal Appl
Pyrol, 2011. 92: p. 332–8.
[11] Ronghong Lin, Y. Z., Lawrence L. Tavlarides, Mechanism and kinetics
of thermal decomposition of biodiesel fuel. Fuel, 2013. 106: p. 593-604.
[12] Wayne Seames, Y. L., Irshad Ahmed, Ted Aulich, Alena Kubatova, Jana
Stavova, Evguenii Kozliak, The thermal cracking of canola and soybean
methyl esters: Improvement of cold flow properties. Biomas and
Bioenergy, 2010. 34: p. 939-946.
[13] Seames W, L.Y., Ahmed I, Aulich T, Kubátová A, Št’ávová J, et al, The
thermal cracking of canola and soybean methyl esters: improvement of
cold flow properties. Biomass Bioenergy 2010, 2010. 34: p. 939–46.
[14] D86-12, A., Standard Test Method for Distillation of Petroleum
Products at Atmospheric Pressure. 2012, ASTM International: West
Conshohocken, PA.
[15] Bradley, N., The Response Surface Methodology. 2007: Indiana
University of South Bend.
[16] B. S. Greensfelder, H. H. V., G. M. Good, Catalytic and Thermal
Cracking of Pure Hvdrocarbons- Mechanism of Reactions. Industrial
and engineering chemistry, 1949. 41.
[17] Gerhard Knothe, K.R.S., Kinematic viscosity of biodiesel fuel
components and related compounds. Influence of compound structure
and comparison to petrodiesel fuel components. Fuel, 2005. 84: p.
1059–1065.
[18] Knothe, G., Dependence of biodiesel fuel properties on the structure of
fatty acid alkyl esters. Fuel Processing Technology, 2005. 86: p. 1059–
1070.
[19] Ellis, S. J. R. a. N., Use of Isomerization and Hydroisomerization
Reactions to Improve the Cold Flow Properties of Vegetable Oil Based
Biodiesel. Energie, 2013. 6: p. 619-633.
[20] Wang, L., Yu, H., Biodiesel from Siberian apricot (Prunus sibirica) seed
kernel oil. Bioresource Technology, 2012. 112: p. 3-3585.
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:70263", author = "Roghaieh Parvizsedghy and Seyyed Mojtaba Sadrameli", title = "Thermal Cracking Approach Investigation to Improve Biodiesel Properties", abstract = "Biodiesel as an alternative diesel fuel is steadily gaining more attention and significance. However, there are some drawbacks while using biodiesel regarding its properties that requires it to be blended with petrol based diesel and/or additives to improve the fuel characteristics. This study analyses thermal cracking as an alternative technology to improve biodiesel characteristics in which, FAME based biodiesel produced by transesterification of castor oil is fed into a continuous thermal cracking reactor at temperatures range of 450-500°C and flowrate range of 20-40 g/hr. Experiments designed by response surface methodology and subsequent statistical studies show that temperature and feed flowrate significantly affect the products yield. Response surfaces were used to study the impact of temperature and flowrate on the product properties. After each experiment, the produced crude bio-oil was distilled and diesel cut was separated. As shorter chain molecules are produced through thermal cracking, the distillation curve of the diesel cut fitted more with petrol based diesel curve in comparison to the biodiesel. Moreover, the produced diesel cut properties adequately pose within property ranges defined by the related standard of petrol based diesel. Cold flow properties, high heating value as the main drawbacks of the biodiesel are improved by this technology. Thermal cracking decreases kinematic viscosity, Flash point and cetane number.
", keywords = "Biodiesel, castor oil, fuel properties, thermal
cracking. ", volume = "9", number = "7", pages = "817-5", }
