Martina Slezáčková

R&D Coordinator

VÚRUP

Slovakia

Dr. Martina Slezáčková (1974) joined VÚRUP in 1997 after graduating from the Slovak Technical University - Faculty of Chemistry and Technology as a laboratory technician. She held several senior level positions in the laboratories, in 2011 she was appointed as Laboratory manager, and held this position until 2023. The same year she completed her PhD. study in chemical engineering and technology. In 2023 she was appointed as R&D Coordinator. She has participated in several research projects focusing on testing non-food origin materials for production of biofuels, and using waste materials for production of components of sustainable aviation fuels. 

Participates in

TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Energy Fuels and Molecules

Alternative Fuels - E fuels, Biofuels and SAF
Forum 15 | Hall 5 Digital Poster Plaza 3
29
April
11:30 13:30
UTC+3
This paper is concerned with a comprehensive analysis of selected non-edible feedstocks in a co-process for the production of advanced biofuels. The research was aimed to study the co-process of standard refinery gasoil with the addition of vegetable oils (camelina, carinata, karanja, post-fermentation corn oil, spent coffee ground oil) and UCO. Their effect on NiMoP/Al2O3 catalyst activity and product properties was evaluated. Hydrotreating co-processing experiments were performed in a trickle bed bench-scale stainless steel tubular reactor (ø78x500 mm, total volume 250 mL) with an effective catalyst bed volume of 150 mL. The co-process was operated at hydrogen pressure 5 MPa, LHSV=1h-1, hydrogen to feedstock ratio 350 NL/L.h and with addition of 2.5 and 10 % by volume of different bio-oils.

Much attention has been paid to pretreatment of the feedstocks as they have significant catalyst deactivation potential. There was necessary to remove unwanted phospholipids and reduce the content of metal cations present in the oil prior to the. Degumming was done with citric acid at 50 °C. The washed degummed oil was dried and refined on silica gel column. 

In the measured range of pressure and temperature parameters in the co-process, complete deoxygenation of free fatty acids and glycerides to alkanes (acid number and simdist) occurred. The cracking rate was minimal. The yield of C5+ was above 97.5 %.

From the distribution of n-alkanes in the product, it is evident that the proportion of C15-C19 n-alkanes increased which resulted in a marked increase in the cetane index from 54.1 to 59.6-62.2. The low-temperature properties met the normalized values for the summer season when 2, 5 and 10 % by volume of bio-oils were injected. The aromatic content was significantly reduced (7.9 % wt.), especially di-and polyaromatics. At the operating conditions tested, co-processing of the bio-oils used did not have a significant effect on the efficiency of hydrodesulphurization or hydrodenitrogenation of the catalyst and the low-temperature properties of the diesel.

Acknowledgment:

This work was supported by the Research and Development Agency under contracts APVV-18-0348 and APVV-16-0097.

Co-author/s:

Jozef Mikulec, Project Manager, VÚRUP.

András Peller, Scientific and Technical Worker,Slovak technical university, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology.

Dr. Ladislav Danč, Head of Laboratory Development Department, VÚRUP.
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