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Thermal Stability and Corrosivity of Bio-oil Blends for Co-processing Applications
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- Author / Creator
- Wang, Haoxiang
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Bio-oil (BO) is a promising and renewable energy source that could alleviate dependence on fossil fuels, but its direct use faces challenges due to low thermal stability and high corrosiveness. Co-processing BO with vacuum gas oil (VGO) in existing refineries offers a solution without requiring additional capital investment. However, the unique characteristics of BO, such as changes during storage and transportation, corrosion risks, and low miscibility with petroleum intermediates, necessitate thorough evaluation before integration.
This thesis investigates three crucial aspects of BO derived from pinewood through fast pyrolysis: thermal stability, corrosiveness to steel, and miscibility with VGO at temperatures up to 80 °C. Firstly, accelerated aging experiments with methanol addition revealed a positive correlation between aging rate and temperature, highlighting the stabilizing effect of methanol. Later, corrosion evaluations demonstrated significant corrosion in BO for carbon steel, while stainless steel exhibited minimal corrosion. Adapted electrochemical methods effectively assessed steel corrosion in the low-conductivity BO environment. Gas chromatography analysis identified gases generated during BO aging and steel corrosion, unveiling comprehensive mechanisms behind corrosion processes and BO internal reactions. The study proposed mechanisms explaining the interactions between BO and steel. In addition, to enhance miscibility with VGO, surfactants were utilized, resulting in stable BO/VGO emulsions at 50 °C with a 2 wt% surfactant addition.
Overall, the findings presented in this thesis contribute significantly to BO co-processing operations by enhancing understanding of BO characteristics, providing advanced electrochemical techniques for corrosion assessments, proposing mechanisms for BO-steel interactions, and optimizing blending processes with BO/VGO emulsions. Insights on optimal preheating temperature and materials compatibility offer valuable guidance for efficient, reliable, and safe BO co-processing.
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Graduation date
- Fall 2024
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Library with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.