Research Report Published: HVO as a Substitute for Middle Distillate Applications

The project objectives were the optimisation of the production or improvement of the properties of biogenic middle distillates as well as the application-technical characterisation of the products and their mixtures with fuel oil EL. Especially the isomerised paraffinic components based on natural oils and fats have a high GHG reduction potential and can significantly reduce the "CO2 footprint" of heating oil EL or diesel fuel.

The hydrogenation of biogenic oils mainly leads to unbranched paraffins with very good combustion properties. Through isomerisation, the cold properties (cold filterability) can also be adapted to the requirements. In the project, conditions for a sufficient conversion with minimum gas formation could be shown; a joint conversion (separate hydrogenation and isomerisation) with petroleum-derived gas oil is possible. On the other hand, the hydrogenation/isomerisation of a vegetable oil in one reaction stage proved not to be expedient. Furthermore, the raw material basis was expanded by including further bio-oils (tall oil, frying and waste fats, pyrolysis oil).

Hydrogenation products from the above experiments and commercially available hydrogenated vegetable oil were investigated with regard to the special requirements for use as a blend component of fuel oil EL. In general, mixtures with hydrogenation products showed good storage stability and the expected good combustion properties. Blendings in the range of 10 % are technically possible, independent of the choice of raw materials. However, long-term investigations with fuel mixtures of fuel oil EL and isomerisate unexpectedly showed signs of deposits on filters. The deposits occurred depending on the quality of the isomerisate, therefore it can be assumed that its product quality is the main influencing factor. This requires further clarification.

Research Agencies:

OWI Oel-Waerme-Institut gGmbH An-Institute of the RWTH Aachen
TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institut für Energieverfahrenstechnik und Chemieingenieurwesen

The IGF project 18671 BG of the Research Association DGMK was funded via the AiF as part of the programme for the promotion of Industrial Collective Research (IGF) by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.