Key Features of Cotransformation of Vacuum Gas Oils and Vegetable Oils on Dual-Zeolite Cracking Catalysts

Abstract

The study of cotransformation of petroleum fractions with vegetable oils on dual-zeolite cracking catalysts has revealed that vegetable oils differing in fatty acid composition admixed to vacuum gas oil, characterized by a high aromatics content, facilitate the conversion and increase the yields of the gasoline fraction and light olefins. In the case of vacuum gas oil cocracking with a vegetable oil having a high unsaturation index (sunflower oil), the oil content in the mixture should not exceed 5 wt %, since its higher content in the mixture leads to enhanced coking of the dual-zeolite catalyst and simultaneous reduction in the yield of the desired cracking products. The effect of preliminary impregnation of HREEY and HZSM-5 zeolites with ammonium hydrogen phosphate before their incorporation into the composition of dual-zeolite catalysts has been investigated as well. It has been found that the modification results in a decrease in the total acidity of zeolites. In the cracking of a mixture of vacuum gas oil and sunflower oil, it has been determined that the modification of zeolites leads to an increase in the total yield of the propane–propylene and butane–butylene fractions with high olefin content.

Keywords: vacuum gas oil, vegetable oils, dual-zeolite catalyst, gasoline fraction