One-Step Conversion of n-Butanol to Aromatics-free Gasoline over the HZSM-5 Catalyst: Effect of Pressure, Catalyst Deactivation, and Fuel Properties as a Gasoline.

ABSTRACT: Sustainable production of gasoline-range hydrocarbon fuels from biomass is critical in evading the upgradation of combustion engine infrastructures. The present work focuses on the selective transformation of n-butanol to gasoline-range hydrocarbons free from aromatics in a single step. Conversion of n-butanol was carried out in a down-flow fixed-bed reactor with the capability to operate at high pressures using the HZSM-5 catalyst. The selective transformation of n-butanol was carried out for a wide range of temperatures (523-563 K), pressures (1-40 bar), and weight hourly space velocities (0.75-14.96 h^-1) to obtain the optimum operating conditions for the maximum yields of gasoline range (C₅-C₁₂) hydrocarbons. A C₅-C₁₂ hydrocarbons selectivity of ∼80% was achieved, with ∼11% and 9% selectivity to C₃-C₄ paraffin and C₃-C₄ olefins, respectively, under optimum operating conditions of 543 K, 0.75 h^-1, and 20 bar. The hydrocarbon (C₅-C₁₂) product mixture was free from aromatics and primarily olefinic in nature. The distribution of these C₅-C₁₂ hydrocarbons depends strongly on the reaction pressure, temperature, and WHSV. These olefins were further hydrogenated to paraffins using a Ni/SiO₂ catalyst. The fuel properties and distillation characteristics of virgin and hydrogenated hydrocarbons were evaluated and compared with those of gasoline to understand their suitability as a transportation fuel in an unmodified combustion engine. The present work further delineates the catalyst stability study for a long time-on-stream (TOS) and extensive characterization of spent catalysts to understand the nature of catalyst deactivation.

SUBMITTER: Palla VCS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10666138 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature