Producing clean diesel fuel by co-hydrogenation of vegetable oil with gas oil

The goal of our investigation was the production of partially bio-derived fuels in the gas oil boiling point range. Our aim was the production of diesel fuel blending components by co-hydrogenation of mixtures of high-sulphur gas oil (about 1.0%) and vegetable oil raw materials with different vegetable oil contents (0, 5, 15, 25 and 100%). The experiments were carried out on a NiMo/Al2O3 catalyst with a targeted composition (T = 300-380A degrees C, P = 60-80 bar, LHSV = 1.0/h and H-2/HC = 600 Nm(3)/m(3)). We obtained that both the vegetable oil conversion reactions and the gas oil quality improvement reactions took place. Under the favourable operational conditions (360-380A degrees C, P = 80 bar, LHSV = 1.0/h and H-2/HC = 600 Nm(3)/m(3) and up to 15% vegetable oil content of the feed), the main properties of the high-yield (> 90%) products except for the Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) value satisfied the requirements of the standard of diesel fuels (EN 590:2009). The amount of vegetable oil higher than 15% reduced the desulphurization efficiency, because of the intake of large quantities of oxygen with the triglyceride molecules of the vegetable oil. The products-depending on the vegetable oil content of the feedstocks-have an increased n- and i-paraffin content, so their combustion properties are very favourable, and the emission of particles is lower.