2019 AIChE Annual Meeting
(319g) Reductive Fractionation: Date PALM Biomass to High VALUE Chemicals Using Commercial NiAl Alloy Catalyst
Authors
REDUCTIVE FRACTIONATION; DATE PALM BIOMASS TO HIGH
VALUE CHEMICALS USING COMMERCIAL NiAl ALLOY CATALYST
Emmanuel
Galiwango, PhD (student),
UAE University, UAE
Ali H.
Al-Marzouqi, PhD, UAE University,
UAE
Abbas Ahmed Khalil, PhD, UAE
University, UAE
Mahdi M. Abu-Omar, PhD,
University of California, USA
Abstract
Problem Statement: UAE has over 40 million date palm
trees. On average approximately a total of 40 kg waste per tree is produced and
therefore huge amount of waste is generated (about 1.2 million tons annually). Most
of the waste from palm trees is currently turned into compost or burned to
generate heat despite the high content of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin.
Literature has reported possibility
of converting different biomass into various High Value Chemicals (HVC)
considering lignocellulose components as a base feed stock. However, despite
the abundancy, little effort has been registered for conversion of date palm
biomass to HVCs especially from Oil rich countries. The purpose of this study
is to use Reductive Catalytic Fraction to convert UAE date palm biomass to HVCs
using a high-pressure high temperature Parr reactor, with an aim of providing enough
knowledge of lignocellulose and optimization conditions for an overall goal of production
of HVC from the same biomass and investigate the gases evolved for possible
future LPG replacement from biorefinery. Methods & Experimental procedure: Thermogravimetric
analysis, SEM measurements, high-pressure high temperature Parr reactor for
biomass conversion in this study (see Figure 1.) was carried out; Q500 TA
Instrument using N2, 20 mL/min. 10, 15 20 and 25°C/min, controlled
from 25 to 900 °C, A JEOL/EO Scanning Electron Microscope and ethanol-benzene
free extractive sample were used with commercial NiAl alloy catalyst.
Results: From TGA, the initial weight was recorded
continuously as a function of temperature and time. Samples Thermal stability,
degradation regimes and temperature were obtained. Existence of three major
lignocellulose fractions was shown and hence guarantee for anticipated HVCs
from this biomass. SEM images revealed different morphologies showing minimal
visible surfaces changes of the catalyst, hence indicating ability to be
recycled. The process revealed significant hydrocarbon production in the gas
stream and appreciable conversions in the liquid product stream. Conclusion &
Significance: Applied technique can successfully depolymerize lignin complex
structure to HVCs with appreciable conversions and useful gas products. The
catalyst used can easily be separated out of biomass after reaction making it
cheaper and easy for re-use. Recommendations are made for further Fig. 1 Schematic layout for date palm waste to
HVCs
characterization for better understanding of palm
biomass prior to processing in a bio-refinery and further analysis of liquid
product is underway to determine the selectivity and yield of individual HVCs
produced.
Recent
Publications
1. Galiwango E., Ali H. Al-Marzouqi, Mahdi M.
Abu-Omar, Abbas Ahmed Khaleel, Nour S. Abdel Rahman.Chemical and Process Engineering
Research www.iiste.org. ISSN 2224-7467 (Paper) ISSN
2225-0913 (Online)Vol.57, 2018
2. Galiwango E., Ali H. Al-Marzouqi, Mahdi M.
Abu-Omar, Abbas Ahmed Khaleel, Nour S. Abdel Rahman. Estimating
Combustion Kinetics of UAE Date Palm tree Biomass using Thermogravimetric Analysis.
Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 7(12), 106-120 (2017).
3. Ly H.V., Galiwango
E., Kim S., Kim J., Choi J.H., Woo H.C., Othman, M. R. (2017).
Hydrodeoxygenation of 2-furyl methyl ketone as a model compound of algal
saccharina japonica bio-oil using iron phosphide catalyst. Chemical Engineering Journal, 317,
302-308.
4. Ly
H.V., Im K., Go Y., Galiwango E., Kim S., Kim J. Woo H.C. (2016). Spray pyrolysis
synthesis of γ-Al2O3 supported metal
and metal phosphide catalysts and their activity in the hydrodeoxygenation of a
bio-oil model compound. Energy
Conversion and Management, 127, 545-553.
5. Al-Zuhair
S., Al-Marzouqi A., Hashim I., Taher H., Biodiesel Production, US Patent
2014/0075828 A1.
6. Taher H., Al-Zuhair S., Al-Marzouqi, A.,
Haik Y., Farid M. (2015). Growth of
microalgae using CO2 enriched air for biodiesel production in
supercritical CO2. Renewable Energy, 82, 61-70.
Biography
Emmanuel has masters
in Energy and Chemical Engineering from South Korea and he worked as a
Petroleum chemist with Saybolt international before joining UAE University,
where he serves as a research assistant and a PhD candidate in Chemical
Engineering under Prof. Ali Al-Marzouqis supervision. Prof. Ali Al-Marzouqi
obtained his B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from University of Washington, USA
and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University, USA. He worked
as an Instructor in the Chemical Engineering Department of Oregon State
University for three years and then joined Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Department of UAE University as an Assistant Professor, Associate Professor; he
was promoted to Full Professor and now serving as the Vice Dean for Research
and Graduate Studies. Prof. Al-Marzouqi's research focuses on biomass
utilization and the use of supercritical fluid technology in numerous
applications including food and pharmaceutical processing, herbal extraction,
biodiesel production, extraction and oxidation of oil sludge, and development
of nanocatalysts.
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