Co-hydrotreating light cycle oil-canola oil blends

Canola oil and light cycle oil (LCO) blends were co-hydrotreated over a commercial hydrotreating catalyst (NiMo/Al2O3) to produce diesel fuel with a green diesel component. High hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulphurization and hydrodenitrogenation catalytic activities were achieved for all three feedstocks tested in the temperature range of 350–380 °C with a hydrogen pressure of 7 MPa and a gas/oil ratio of 800 nL/L. The hydrocracking conversion of the 360 °C + materials in the feedstocks increased by 5% and 15% when 5 and 7.5 wt-% canola oil was added to the LCO, respectively. Compared to the pure LCO, the cetane index of the diesel product formed from hydrotreating the two canola oil-LCO blends increased by 2.5 and 4, respectively. Due to the higher hydrogen requirement to crack and deoxygenate the triglycerides contained in the canola oil, a higher hydrogen consumption was needed to hydrotreat the canola oil-LCO blends. [graphic not available: see fulltext]