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Catalytic upgrading of Elephant grass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum) pyrolysis vapor using WO 3 supported on RHA and RHA-MCM-41

2016; Elsevier BV; Volume: 279; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.cattod.2016.06.003

1873-4308

Renata Martins Braga, Dulce Maria de Araújo Melo, Eledir V. Sobrinho, Joana M. F. Barros, M. A. F. Melo, Alexandre Fontes Melo de Carvalho, Maria do Socorro Braga Fontes, Júlio Cézar de Oliveira Freitas,

Catalysis and Hydrodesulfurization Studies

Recently, zeolites have been widely applied in catalytic pyrolysis to improve physical and chemical properties of bio-oil to produce energy or to selectively produce chemicals for industry. This study aims to analyze the catalytic pyrolysis products of Elephant Grass (EG) using WO3 catalysts supported on rice husk ash (RHA) silica and RHA-MCM-41, being low cost materials derived from agro industrial waste, and evaluate the catalysts activity in the formation of deoxygenated compounds. Elephant Grass has been shown as a potential energy crop that has fast growth and is easy to cultivate in different countries, including Brazil. Its energetic characterization was evaluated by proximate and ultimate analysis, High Heat Value (HHV), cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content, chemical ash composition by FRX and bulk density. Pyrolysis analysis was performed at 500 °C in a Py-5200 HP-R connected to a GC–MS, and pyrolysis vapors were carried by N2 to a catalytic bed at 400 and 600 °C. It was noticed that increasing catalyst temperature promotes cracking reactions leading to increased aromatic content. The main oxygenated pyrolysis products of EG such as phenols, furans, ketones and acetic acid were converted at 600 °C using WO3/RHA catalyst into aromatics (benzene, toluene, xylene, styrene), being of high added value for chemical industry. The main influence on aromatics yields could be related to catalytic activity of WO3 promoted by its redox ability and the rise in temperature which favors cracking reactions.