In a major technological breakthrough that can be a game changer for advancing use of bio-diesel in the country and ensuring ready acceptance of the fuel by the automobile industry, IndianOil has successfully developed and commercialised a technology to co-process non-edible vegetable oil in the existing diesel hydrotreating (DHDT) units of a petroleum refinery to make bio-diesel. This is the first time in India, and possibly in the world, when Jatropha oil has been used for co-processing in a petroleum refinery. This technology for co-processing of Jatropha oil has been developed by the IndianOil R&D Centre at Faridabad.
During the development of this process technology, IndianOil has also developed a process for de-metallization and de-gumming of vegetable oils. It may be noted that de-metallation of oils is a pre-requisite for co-processing since metals are poisonous for the catalyst in the DHDT unit.
A total quantity of 200 tonnes of Jatropha oil was supplied by CREDA Biofuels Ltd., a JV of Indian Oil and Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Authority. This oil was used for de-metallization and de-gumming using IOC – R&D developed process and subsequently co-processed at the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (CPCL) refinery at Manali. Successful co-processing was demonstrated in the DHDT Unit of the refinery.
Operating with a specific catalyst developed by the R&D Centre of IndianOil, the DHDT unit used upto 6.5 per cent of Jatropha oil alongwith refinery stream. During the trial, the diesel cetane number improved by two units, sulphur content reduced and the inlet temperature of the reactor could also be reduced by 100C with resultant energy savings.
Conventionally bio-diesel is produced by the trans-esterification process which requires a separate plant to be set up. Bio-diesel thus produced through the trans-esterification route has inferior properties in terms of oxidation stability and energy content and results in more deposits in the engine. Hence it is not very well accepted by the automobile industry.
However, the novel innovative co-processing technology developed by IndianOil overcomes these disadvantages and produces bio-diesel with higher cetane number, good oxidation stability and lower density. In addition, co-processing technology can be deployed in an existing petroleum refinery infrastructure with minor modifications and does not require a separate plant. This process also costs less as the operating cost is reduced by 50 per cent in comparison to a conventional bio-diesel plant.