Single-Stage Catalytic Coconversion of Vegetable Oils and Alcohols to the Alkane–Aromatic Hydrocarbon Fraction without Using Molecular Hydrogen

Abstract

A method for the production of a С₃–С₁₁ alkane–aromatic hydrocarbon (HC) fraction by the coconversion of a mixture of alcohols simulating biomass fermentation products and vegetable oil without using molecular hydrogen has been developed. A characteristic feature of this method is the occurrence of coupled alcohol aromatization reactions evolving hydrogen consumed for the hydrogenation of unsaturated HC moieties formed from fatty acid triglycerides in the presence of a pilot sample of the Pd–Zn/TsVM/Al₂O₃ catalyst. It has been found that the optimum amount of vegetable oil in the feed mixture is 25–50 vol %; this amount provides the target fraction yield of up to 95% on a fed carbon basis.