CATALYTIC CRACKING OF CANDLENUT SUNAN OIL TO BTX USING HZSM-5 CATALYST

• Main Author: Gunawan, David
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/48171
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Benzene, Toluene, and o,m,p-Xylene (BTX) are the feedstock of the aromatic-based petrochemical industry with a high demand level. However, in Indonesia, the demand for BTX could not be fulfilled from national production only, hence requiring Indonesia to import BTX. Moreover, the conventional production of BTX is generally still petroleum-based. Therefore, BTX production technology from renewable resources must be developed. Candlenut Sunan Oil as non-edible oil has a potency to be the feedstock due to its high oil content in seeds that contains unique fatty acid, namely ?- eleostearic acid. Through catalytic cracking of candlenut sunan oil, BTX could be obtained. The catalyst which is widely used and has the best performance in catalytic cracking of crop oil to BTX is HZSM-5. However, diffusion limitations of triglyceride may occur as its size is bigger than the pore size of HZSM-5. Therefore, the modification of HZSM-5 into hierarchical HZSM-5 is needed. Hierarchical HZSM-5 is synthesized by NH4OH desilication and steam dealumination treatment. The best hierarchical HZSM-5 will be characterized by nitrogen isothermal adsorption, XRD, and NH3-TPD method. The activity test of catalyst is conducted at 5000C, WHSV 2.5 h-1, catalyst per run 2.5 g, and atmospheric pressure condition. Saponification value will be used to calculate the conversion, gravimetry for coke analysis, and GC-DHA for liquid product composition. A catalyst which possesses a lower Si/Al ratio will have higher aromatic content in OLP but has lower stability. In contrast, a higher Si/Al ratio catalyst will have better stability but has lower aromatic content in OLP. By hierarchical modification, the activity and stability of catalysts are improved, without affecting the selectivity of BTX significantly. The hierarchical HZSM-5 catalyst with Si/Al ratio 25 (H-25) is the best in this research with performance as follows: 100% conversion at TOS 2nd hour and slightly decreased to 96% at TOS 3rd hour, 40.78%-feed BTX yield, 60%-feed OLP yield, and only 33%-feed gas yield.