Production of biogasoline from waste cooking oil as an environmentally friendly alternative liquid fuel
Date
2017
Authors
Bridgiliah, Mampuru Madinoge
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Energy is an important utility to human kind. Since the beginning of human civilization, human beings have become acquainted with travelling and transportation of goods. The use of conventional energy fuels for automobile engines is no longer sustainable due to finite crude oil reserves available in the world, of which many are facing the crisis of being depleted. The use of conventional fuels is a major contributor to environmental concerns such as global warming. Therefore there is an urgent need to explore alternative sources of fuel energy that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. The production of biofuels has been receiving increased academic and industrial attention as practical alternative fuel sources that can partially or completely replace conventional fuels.
A study of the production of biogasoline from waste cooking oil as an alternative and re-usable source of liquid fuel was conducted in this project. This work focused on the variety of parameters that would deliver the optimum conversion and yield of biogasoline. The waste cooking oil was converted through catalytic hydrocracking in the presence of an acid activated Ni-Mo/Al2C>3 catalyst and constant hydrogen gas pressure of 0.5 kPa. A number of Ni-Mo/A^Oa catalysts were synthesized with varying Ni-loadings from 5-25 wt. % and calcination temperatures from 300 °C to 700 °C.
The catalysts were characterised using ICP-OES, TGA, BET, SEM, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Catalyst characterisation results revealed that the catalyst with 5 wt. % Ni possessed the greatest thermal strength, with the maximum BET surface area of 61.61 m /g and high dispersion of the active species in the catalyst. The optimal calcination temperature range for this catalyst was found from 500 °C to 600 °C.
The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, catalyst: oil ratio, catalyst calcination temperature and Ni-loading (wt. %) were investigated. The highest percentage of produced biogasoline was 59.50 wt. % at a reaction temperature of 250 °C, catalyst: oil ratio of 1:75, reaction time of 1 hr with a catalyst loaded with 5 wt. % Ni and calcinated at 300 °C.
The use of stainless steel reactors that can handle higher reaction temperatures and pressure is recommended for future studies that will allow more severe cracking of the raw material into
lighter hydrocarbons. The Ni-Mo/AhCT catalyst can also be modified with boron or fluorine to enhance its catalytic activity.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in fulfillment for the degree
of Master of Science
Johannesburg, 20th of September 2017
Keywords
Citation
Mampuru, Madinoge Bridgiliah (2017) Production of biogasoline from waste cooking oil as an environmentally friendly alternative liquid fuel, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/25769>