Partial hydrothermal oxidation of high molecular weight unsaturated carboxylic acids for upgrading of biodiesel fuel

With increasing environmental awareness and crude oil price, biodiesel fuel (BDF) is gaining recognition as a renewable fuel which may be used as an alternative diesel fuel without any modification to the engine. The cold flow and viscosity of BDF, however, is a major drawback that limited its use in cold area. In this study, therefore, we investigated that partial oxidation of high molecular weight unsaturated carboxylic acids in subcritical water, which major compositions in BDF, to upgrade biodiesel fuel. Oleic acid, (HOOC(CH ₂)₇CH=CH(CH₂)₇CH₃), was selected as a model compound of high molecular weight unsaturated carboxylic acids. All experiments were performed with a batch reactor made of SUS 316 with an internal volume of 5.7 cm³. Oleic acid was oxidized at 300 °C with oxygen supply varying from 1-10 %. Results showed that a large amount of carboxylic acids and aldehydes having 8-9 carbon atoms were formed. These experimental results suggest that the hydrothermal oxidative cleavage may mainly occur at double bonds and the cleavage of double bonds could improve the cold flow and viscosity of BDF.