Optimizing of Cottonseed Oil Hydrogenation over Fixed Bed Catalyst with Use of Kinetic Simulation

Effect of temperature, hydrogen and oil flow rates on the quality of the products of cottonseed oil  hydrogenation was investigated for different Ni-Al catalysts promoted with Ti, Cr, Mo, Cu, Fe. Fixed bed  catalyst is used to exclude filtration stage from the technological flow sheet. Surface of the catalyst granules  was preliminary leached to increase the area. Linear correlation between melting point and iodine value of the products was revealed, and correlation coefficients for different catalysts have been established. It was found out that minimum melting point and maximum hardness corresponds to the products with the following fatty acid composition: 5% of stearic acid, 45% of oleic acid and 20% linoleic acid. Comparison criteria for the catalysts with use of kinetic model were discussed, and 60% conversion of linoleic acid was selected as the optimum level for hydrogenation process to target products. Introduction of copper, iron and molybdenum in the Ni-Al-Cr-Ti alloy (Basic alloy) allows increasing activity and selectivity of the catalysts. In optimum conditions at 180 °С the row of activity of the catalysts is as follows: Fe > Mo > Cu > Basic alloy and the row of selectivity: Cu > Fe > Bas > Mo