Review article
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REFINERY PRODUCTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HYDROCARBON FUELS - HYDROCRACKING, ALKYLATION AND ISOMERIZATION
Marko Mužic
; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
Katica Sertić Bionda
; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
Tamara Adžamić
; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
Abstract
Oil industry is faced with increasing pressure, from government agencies and public alike, to improve refinery processes. The main objective of development is to reduce negative impacts on the environment while maintaining economic viability of the entire process. The environmental aspect can be divided into two main parts including the primary task to reduce the plant emissions and secondary task to at the same time produce environmentally friendly hydrocarbon fuels whose improved properties are reflected in reduced emissions from internal combustion engines. The basic refinery processes that are able to produce environmentally friendly hydrocarbon fuels or the so called clean fuels include hydrocracking, alkylation and isomerization. Advances in research and development of new technologies and catalysts increased the value of the aforementioned processes because the environmental risks are reduced and the fuels they produce have high octane/cetane numbers and low or now sulfur and aromatic content depending on the type of feedstock. The alkylation is also researched as possible alternative treatment process for lowering the total sulfur content in gasoline fuels during which there would be no octane loss in the product.
Keywords
ecologic acceptability of petroleum products; enviroment protection; hydrocracking; alkylation; isomerization; feedstock pretreatment
Hrčak ID:
61931
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2010.
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