Hydrocarbon Processing - May 2022 - 35

Biofuels, Alternative Fuels and Green Petrochemicals
ditions during the test to evaluate the effect
in the overall mass balance.
Reactor
pressure regulation and
pressure drop over the reactors.
Reactor pressure regulation is not only
important to ensure accurate pressure
control at operating pressures, but also
to help maintain equal distribution of the
inlet flow over all reactors.
The catalyst testing systema
a
microfluidic-based reactor
includes
pressure
controller (RPC). This patented pressure-regulation
technology enables the
individual regulation of the backpressure
of each separate reactor at the targeted
setpoint, allowing the most accurate
and stable pressure control in a multiparallel
reactors system, with an average
reactor-to-reactor pressure deviation of
< 0.1 barg.
Since the RPC measures the inlet
pressure of each reactor, it can maintain a
constant inlet pressure by regulating the
backpressure. As a result, the distribution
of the inlet flows over the reactors is unaffected
and a low reactor-to-reactor flow
variability is achieved. This also allows
the measurement of pressure drop over
the reactors. FIG. 3 shows the pressure
drop obtained for all reactors during the
test; it can be seen that the pressure drop
for all reactors is very small with an overall
average of 0.2 barg.
VO conversion. At the predefined testing
conditions, a total conversion of the
VO was obtained without obvious effect
on the LHSV. No deactivation of the catalyst
was apparent with the complete test
duration. FIG. 4 shows an example simulated
distillation (SimDis) for the 40% VO
feedstock where the conversion of triglycerides
(BP > 480°C) into paraffins (apparently
mostly C16
to C18) can be seen.
Liquid product yields. FIG. 5 presents
the diesel, kerosene and naphtha yields
for 40% VO, 70% VO and 100% VO feedstocks.
Key findings include:
* The yield to diesel is ~80%
for the 100% VO feedstock
* Liquid product analysis
(ASTM D5291) confirmed
that there was no oxygen left
* As expected, no naphtha or
kerosene was produced from
the conversion of the VO;
there is a direct conversion of
triglycerides to C12
+ paraffins
* Small effect of the higher
LHSV (1.5 l/l/hr) on the
VO products yield
* Overall a good reactor-to-reactor
repeatability for the product yields.
Gas product yield. FIG. 6 shows the gas
make yield (C1
, C3 and C4) for all feed5
4
3
2
1
8
6
4
2
85
83
81
79
77
75
100
FIG.
5. Liquid product yields.
1.6
1.2
0.8
0.4
6
4
2
0.3
0.2
0.1
FIG. 6. C1, C3 and C4
100
200
gas product yields.
Hydrocarbon Processing | MAY 2022 35
300
Time onstream, hr
400
LGO
20% VO
80% SRGO
40% VO
60% SRGO
70% VO
30% SRGO
100% VO
200
300
Time onstream, hr
400
40% VO
60% SRGO
stocks tested [only traces of C2
gas hydrocarbons products
* Increasing gas product
yields as the amount of VO
is increased on the feed
* Up to 5 wt% C3H8 produced
70% VO
30% SRGO
100% VO
served (not presented in the graph)]:
* As expected, methane (CH4
and propane (C3
were ob)
H8)
are the main
LHSV = 1
LHSV = 1.5
500
600
LHSV = 1
LHSV = 1.5
500
600
C4 yield, %
C3 yield, %
C1 yield, %
Diesel yield, %
Kero yield, %
Naphtha yield, %
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