(653c) Production and Characterization of Straight-Run Thermal Deoxygenation (TDO) Fuels

Thermal DeOxygenation (TDO) refers to a simple, non-catalytic, process which produces highly deoxygenated crude oils from levulinic and formic acids formed by acid hydrolysis of biomass feedstocks.  The TDO reaction is a single-step decomposition reaction which converts the neutralized acids to crude hydrocarbons, chars, CO₂, water and volatiles at 450°C and at ambient pressure.  The TDO crude oils have long-term shelf-stability and very low water miscibility compared to fast pyrolysis oils.  Successful TDO scale-up to 50L semi-batch operation has produced crude oils with broad boiling point distribution, between 75° and 585°C, and oxygen content of 1-8 wt.%.