Catalytic Hydrogenation of Bio-oil: A Procedure for JP8 Hydrocarbon Production from Miscane

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop a process to produce JP8 hydrocarbons from miscane, a hybrid plant of sugarcane and Miscanthus. Bio-oil was produced from the pyrolysis of miscane at 400ºC, 500ºC and 600ºC. It was then fractionated via vacuum distillation. The distillates each contained substantial amounts of hydrocarbon compounds identical to those found in the JP8 standard without further upgrading. Distilling the bio-oil significantly reduced the MC and the TAN, but rendered small distillate fractions. After characterization tests were performed, there was not enough of the individual distillate fractions to hydrogenate any remaining oxygenates. Therefore, a model mixture composed of the oxygenated distillate components (i.e. phenolics and alcoholic compounds) was catalytically hydrogenated instead of the distillates themselves. Three catalysts were tested: fluorous Pd, Pd/C and Shvo’s catalyst. The data showed that on average, the fluorous Pd, Pd/C and Shvo’s catalyst each converted 94.25%, 94.78%, and 94.34% respectively of the oxygenated compounds in the model mixture the hydrocarbons. The statistical analysis concluded that there was no significant difference at the 5% alpha level (p = 0.895 and F0 < 4.46) in the deoxygenation ability of the catalysts.