Hydrocracking of Palm Oil into Biogasoline Catalyzed by Cr/Natural Zeolite

Abstract

The preparation, characterization and catalytic activity test of Cr/acid activated natural zeolite on palm oil hydrocracking reaction into liquid biofuels fraction were performed. Natural zeolite obtained from Klaten, Indonesia was activated with 1 M sulfuric acid to obtain a sample of acid activated natural zeolite (ZZA). The catalysts preparation was made by impregnation method of precursor salt solution of Cr(NO₃)₃·9H₂O into acid activated natural zeolite samples, followed by calcination, oxidation and reduction, to bring the material become Cr/acid activted natural zeolite catalyst. Catalyst characterization includes the determination of the TO₄ site (T = Si or Al) in zeolite which was observed by the infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and Brønsted-Lewis acid sites, the determination of acidity by the method of vapour adsorption of ammonia and pyridine on the internal and external surfaces of the catalyst, catalysts crystallinity was determined with the diffraction of X-ray method and the porosity of the catalyst was analyzed with a surface area analysis method. Palm oil hydrocracking reactions was carried out by using a fixed-bed reactor at 450 °C and the H₂ flow rate was 20 mL/min, in the ratio variation of the feed/catalyst 1/1, 2/1 and 3/1, respectively by doing the preliminary preparation of the palm oil. Liquid product analysis by using the chromatography gas method, to calculate the fraction of gasoline, kerosene and diesel. The result shows that the acid activation and the insertion of the metal on the surface of zeolite could increased the acidity of the samples. Acid activated natural zeolite samples had specific surface area of 162.46 m²/g, meanwhile the Cr/acid activated natural zeolite catalyst was found 74.54 m²/g. The highest conversion of liquid products was 82.05 % resulted from the ratio of the feed/catalyst of 2/1 with the preliminary preparation of the feed through the esterification reaction.