Effect of NiMo/Zeolite Catalyst Preparation Method for Bio Jet Fuel Synthesis

Abstract

Bio jet fuel is an alternative fuel derived from vegetable oil substitutes for conventional aviation fuel. Bio jet fuel can be synthesize through hydrodeoxygenation and catalytic cracking process pathways that influence by the catalyst. The success rates of bio jet synthesis with catalysts influence by the characteristic and activity of the catalysts. One factor that influence the catalyst characteristic and activity is the preparation method. This study focuses on the preparation method of a catalyst by comparing the conventional method of impregnation and the latest microwave polyol method. The impregnation method utilizes stirring up to 24 hours while microwave polyol utilizes a microwave for rapid heating which serves to expand the active core, but the catalyst is not yet known its character and its activity in bio jet fuel synthesis process. In this study, NiMo/Zeolite was synthesized by impregnation method had 232.18 m2/gram surface area and had average crystal size of 49.35 nm. Further, the catalyst was used to synthesized bio jet fuel through a catalytic cracking process, with green diesel from the hydrodeoxygenation process of oleic acid conversion as feed. The result, obtained high enough of conversion by 84.30%, but low yield and selectivity of bio-jet fuel range by 34.77% and 36.43% respectively.