Studies on co-processing of jatropha oil with diesel fraction in hydrodesulfurization

Hydrotreating of vegetable oils to hydrocarbon is one of the processes presently being considered for obtaining biofuel that can be blended with petroleum fuel as it provides chemically similar products i.e. hydrocarbons. In the present study hydrotreatment of jatropha oil and its mixture with straight run diesel fraction (DHDS feed) has been studied over commercial and a lab made hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts. Jatropha oil has been co-processed with straight run diesel fraction in 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% jatropha oil and its effect on the product and catalyst was examined. Both feeds and products are well characterized by SIMDIST analysis (D2887), distillation (D86), gas chromatography, density, viscosity, pour point and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Products contain only hydrocarbons and are found to be in diesel range and no significant effect on sulfur content of the products was observed. But pour point of the product is higher when higher content of jatropha oil is processed. Catalyst was found to be stable as it didn't get deactivated for more than 150 h of operation. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.