(689e) Renewable Liquid Alkanes Production in Continuous Flow Microchannel Reactor

The study focused on the development of microtechnology-based chemical reaction process for liquid biofuel production from oil-based biofuel feedstock. A hydrotreating reaction of 5 wt% of oleic acid in dodecane was performed in continuous flow microchannel reactor. The microchannel reactor was fabricated from SS-316 and the wall of the microreactor was coated with a thin layer of NiMoP/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The reactions were carried out in the temperature range of 275-325 °C, residence time in the range of 36-40 s and at constant system pressure of 500 psi.

The results showed that microchannel reactor was well suitable for the hydrotreating process. The almost complete conversion of fatty acid hydrotreating reaction was achieved at a reaction temperature of 300 °C and above. The conversion of fatty acid increased with increasing temperatures and decreasing initial feed concentrations. Hydrotreating of fatty acid occurred primarily via hydrogenation and dehydration and the main liquid products were octadecane and heptadecane.  Fatty alcohol, fatty acid and long chain ester were formed as intermediates.