Technical Committee Fuel Oils

Hydrogenated bio-oils as a drop-in fuel for middle distillate applications - production and utilization

The main objectives of this project were the optimization of processes and the improvement ofthe properties of biogenic middle distillates as well as the characterization of products and their mixtures with heating oil. In particular the isomerized paraffinic components based on biogenic oils and fats have a high greenhouse gas reduction potential and, therefore, significantly reduce the "CO2 footprint" of heating oil or diesel fuel.
The hydrogenation of biofenic oils predominantly leads to linear paraffins with very goof combustion properties. By isomerization, cold properties like filterability can be easily adjusted to achieve the requirements of heating oil. A sufficient high conversion with less gas formation could be achieved. In general a co-processing (seperate hydrogenation and isomerization) with petroleum-derived gas oil is possible. However, the hydrogenation/isomerization of a vegetable oil in one reaction step results in the formation of undesired cracking products. Aditionally, the range of raw materials was extended by including the nio-oils tall oil, frying and used fats, and pyrolysis oil. Formed hydrogenation products and comercially available hydrogenated vegetable oil were investigated with regard to the special requirements for a use as a blending component in heating oil. These mixtures with hydrogenated products showed good storage stability and expected good combustion properties. Admixtures in the range of 10% are technically possible, independent of the choice of raw materials. However, the long-term investigations with fuel mixtures of heating oil and isomerized products showed unexpected deposition phenomena on filters. The deposits occured depending on the quality of the isomerized products. Therefore, it can be assumed that its quality is the main influencing factor. This requires further clarification.

The IGF project (18671 BG) of the research association DGMK Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Erdöl, Erdgas und Kohle e.V., Überseering 40, 22297 Hamburg was funded via the AiF within the framework of the programme for the funding of joint industrial research (IGF) by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.