Production of Fuel-Like Fractions by Fractional Distillation of Bio-Oil from Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Seeds Pyrolysis

Abstract

This work investigates the effect of production scales (laboratory, bench, and pilot) by pyrolysis of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seeds at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, on the yields of reaction products and acid value of bio-oils. The experiments were carried out in batch mode using a laboratory scale reactor of 143 mL, a bench scale reactor of 1.5 L, and a pilot scale reactor of 143 L (≈1:10:1000). The bio-oil was obtained in pilot scale, fractionated by distillation to produce biofuel-like fractions. The distillation of bio-oil was carried out in a laboratory column. The physical-chemistry properties (density, kinematic viscosity, acid value, and refractive index) of bio-oils and distillation fractions were determined. The qualitative analysis was determined by FT-IR and the chemical composition by GC-MS. The pyrolysis showed bio-oil yields from 4.37 to 13.09 (wt.%), decreasing with reactor volume. The acid value of bio-oils varied from 68.31 to 70.26 mg KOH/g. The distillation of bio-oil produced gasoline, light kerosene, and kerosene-like fuel fractions, and the yields were 16.16, 19.56, and 41.89 (wt.%), respectively. The physical-chemistry properties of distillation fractions increase with temperature. The FT-IR analysis of bio-oils and distillation fractions identified the presence of functional groups characteristic of hydrocarbons (alkenes, alkanes, aromatics, and aromatics rings) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, ethers, alcohols, phenols). The GC-MS identified 48.24 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 51.76 (area.%) oxygenates in the bio-oil produced in bench scale and 21.52 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 78.48 (area.%) oxygenates in the bio-oil produced in pilot scale. The gasoline-like fraction was composed by 64.0 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 36.0 (area.%) oxygenates, light kerosene-like fraction by 66.67 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 33.33 (area.%) oxygenates, and kerosene-like fraction by 19.87 (area.%) hydrocarbons and 81.13 (area.%) oxygenates.

Catalytic Upgrading of Residual Fat Pyrolysis Vapors over Activated Carbon Pellets into Hydrocarbons-like Fuels in a Two-Stage Reactor: Analysis of Hydrocarbons Composition and Physical-Chemistry Properties

“…Acid value was determined by dissolving 0.2 g of bio-oil into 50 mL of a 50/50 (%wt./wt.) toluene/isopropanol combined solvent and titrated with a standard solution of 0.1 N KOH, using phenolphthalein as acid-base indicator, adapted from AOCS Cd3d-63 [19][20][21][22][23].…”

Amazonian palm tree fruits: From nutritional value to diversity of new food products

“…Açai is a round fruit with a dark purple color, a diameter between 10 and 20 mm, and a weight ranging from 2.6 to 3.0 g, with 17 % pulp and peel and 83 % seeds [ 14 ]. Before crushing or extracting the pulp, the açai undergoes a step of bleaching or pasteurization with water at 80 °C for 10 s [ 15 ].…”

Pyrolysis of Energy Cane Bagasse: Investigating Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and Effect of Temperature on Volatile Products

“…There are several types of biomasses that can be harnessed on a large scale for second-generation biofuels via pyrolysis, such as waste vegetable oils [8,9], waste animal fat [10], brewer's spent grain [11], cattle manure [12], microalgae [13], nut residues [14], off-spec biodiesel [15] and grease traps [16]. The pyrolysis process of lignocellulosic biomass produces bio-gas, bio-oil and bio-char [17,18]. Bio-oil needs to go through a hydrorefining process to obtain hydrocarbons for drop-in biofuels [19].…”