3rdReport on the project activity "Catalytic Studies in the HDO processes of vegetable oils" (R.E. 50/23)

The main objective of the Research Contract ""CATALYTIC STUDIES IN HDO PROCESSES" is the "assessing of the catalyst behaviour into the HDO processes of vegetable oils by comparing the catalytic performance of several sulfided catalyst provided by the client, aiming in particular to realize a predictive tool of the performance of the catalyst in Plant" (ANNEX 1-TECHNICAL PROPOSAL). The research activity has been organized in two Work Packages (WP): i) WP1.-Catalytic tests and measurements and ii) WP2- Test validation, kinetic studies and process modelling, which prefigures several sub-activities interconnected each other that need to be performed in parallel way. In full accordance with the research activity described and scheduled in the Annex 1-Technical Proposal of the Research contract "CATALYTIC STUDIES IN HDO PROCESSES", activity carried out from July 2022 to June 2023 has regarded: o Determination of the reaction order of the reaction: tests at different LHSV (0.33-0.52-0.73h-1) in order to have the oxygen concentration at different contact time. Each test has been done a 4 different temperatures: 275°Cx24h - 285°Cx24h - 295°Cx24h & a back point 275°Cx24h; o Evaluation of the catalytic behaviour and performance of different families of HDO catalysts, with a different degree of expected activity. o Study on the catalytic behaviour of Totsucat catalysts prepared both in laboratory and in plant: evaluation of the effect of passivation on the HDO activity.