Alternative component containing diesel fuel from different waste sources.

Mixtures with high fatty acid content are produced during vegetable oil and animal fat purification and paper production. These waste fractions can be converted into alternative fuels through several steps. The co-hydrogenation of waste polypropylene thermal cracked fraction or waste fatty acid mixture with unrefined gas oils is a potential solution for their conversion into hydrocarbons. The co-processing of these three different fractions was not yet investigated in these ratios. So the aim of the research work was to produce high quality diesel fuels and to study the occurring reactions and the interaction among these different compounds. The catalytic conversion of the mixture of unrefined gas oil, waste polypropylene cracked fraction (20 wt %) and waste fatty acid mixture (10, 20 and 30 wt %) was carried out on a commercial sulphided nickel-molybdenum-alumina catalyst. The effect of the feedstock compositions and the process parameters on the quantity and quality of the products was studied. The favourable process conditions to produce high quality diesel fuel blending components were selected (e.g., 10 wt % fatty acid waste, 360 °C temperature, 1.0 h liquid hourly space velocity). The performance properties of this fuel were better than the conventional diesels', so their usage can be more environmentally friendly and lead to lower pollutant emission.