Liquefaction of Waste Rendering Fat Using Iron-Containing Catalysts

Waste rendering fat (WRF) is a solid residuum from rendering plants. WRF is inedible, even for animals, a mixture of lipids with a high content of (mono-, di-, tri-) glycerol esters and free fatty acids. This study focuses on catalytic liquefaction and deoxygenation of WRF with four different iron-based catalysts, namely, commercial Fe2O3 and three laboratory-prepared alkali-activated zeolite foams different in the iron precursor used for impregnation. Three various reaction times were tested. Laboratory-prepared catalysts enabled a better yield of organic liquid than commercial ones. All catalysts had a positive efficiency of deoxygenation at all reaction times. The combination of Fe(II) and Fe(III) during the catalyst preparation had a beneficial effect.