Investigation of Co-processing of the Straight-Run Diesel Fraction and Sunflower Oil over a Zeolite Catalyst of ZSM-5 Type

An urgent direction of the fuel and energy industry is the development of methods for vegetable oil and hydrocarbon co-processing in order to produce low-freezing and environmentally friendly components for diesel fuel. Zeolites of different structures and modifications are becoming increasingly popular as catalysts for these processes. Processing of the straight-run diesel fuel and a mixture of diesel fuel with 10 vol. % sunflower oil has been carried out over a zeolite catalyst of ZSM-5 type at a pressure of 0.35 MPa, feed rate 0.5 h-1 and two different temperature points: 375 and 475 degrees C. Regularities of temperature effect and the influence of sunflower oil involvement into processing over zeolite catalyst on the composition and properties of the products are determined. These regularities are shown to depend on process temperature. It is established that the products of diesel fuel co-processing with sunflower oil over the zeolite catalyst at 375 degrees C correspond in their low-temperature characteristics to the Arctic grade of commercial diesel fuel, and at 475 degrees C - to the winder grade of commercial diesel fuel. It is demonstrated that the products of processing over the zeolite catalyst are promising components of low-freezing fuel. The results provide evidence that co-processing of diesel fraction and sunflower oil over the zeolite catalyst is promising for obtaining low-freezing components of engine fuel. The involvement of sunflower oil will expand the feedstock pool for fuel production.