Upgrading of heavy and high-contaminant Hydrofaction Oil, to fuels blendstock with the use of Catalytic Steam Cracking

The Projects objective is to continue the upgrading work executed in the previous MITACS Converge project with a larger focus on more challenging biocrude oils such as heavy fractions, high viscosity, high nitrogen, high ash oils that are produced from feedstocks such as feed gate residues in the form of manures, biosludges and organics from municipal waste. The performance objective remains to optimize and scale up the upgrading of Hydrofaction Oil to blendstocks for transport fuels. The main challenge in upgrading Hydrofaction renewable crude Oil from such sources is not only the oxygen content of the oil but also the high viscosity, sulfur, and inorganic contaminants. Catalytic Steam Cracking is the pathway of choice in this Project for removing this oxygen and contaminants. The upgraded oil should achieve low Total Acid Number (TAN), low oxygen, low nitrogen, low minerals content and an improved distillation profile. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Pedro Pereira-Almao

Student:

Monica Bartolini

Partner:

Steeper Energy Canada

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Program: