Investigating the impact of bio-oil components in esterification upgrading
Date
2024-12-13
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Abstract
Bio-oil, an organic liquid derived from biomass pyrolysis, shows promise as a sustainable fuel but faces limitations due to its low energy density, corrosiveness, and low stability. Upgrading technologies to improve bio-oil properties exist, but the impact of its constituents during these processes is not well understood. Hence, this study evaluates the impact of phenol and furfural on the performance of solid acid catalysts during acetic acid and methanol esterification. The acid conversion over three different catalysts was examined. Phenol effect on esterification over Amberlyst-15 was evaluated in detail, including kinetic studies and catalyst structural modifications. The presence of phenol led to a decrease in catalyst performance due to their adsorption on the same sites as acetic acid over the Amberlyst-15 structure. The work emphasized how phenol and other bio-oil components could inhibit solid acid catalysts during bio-oil upgrading, offering valuable insights for the upgrading processes.
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Keywords
bio-oil, esterification, upgrading, solid acid catalysts, adsorption
Citation
Bonatti, E. (2024). Investigating the impact of bio-oil components in esterification upgrading (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.