Catalytic Hydroprocessing of White Pine Pyrolysis Bio-Oil over Cobalt-Molybdenum Carbide in a Continuous Packed-Bed Reactor

Catalytic hydroprocessing of white pine pyrolysis bio-oil over cobalt-molybdenum (CoMo) carbide supported on biochar was carried out in a continuous fixed-bed reactor at a temperature between 350 and 425 °C, hydrogen pressure between 7 and 12.5 MPa, and liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) of 0.1–1.0 h−1 with a hydrogen flow rate of 500 mL/min. The results showed that the CoMo carbide catalyst can effectively improve the yield and qualities of hydrotreated bio-oil. Under the preferred reaction conditions of 400–425 °C, 10 MPa H2, and LHSV 0.3 h−1, the yield, the carbon content, the carbon recovery ratio, and the higher heating value of the upgraded bio-oil reached 24.2–25.7% of the feed, 86.5–87.4%, 48.1–52.1%, and 41.8–43.9 MJ/kg, respectively. The oxygen content, total acid number, and moisture of the hydrotreated bio-oil decreased to 0.1–1.6 wt%, aromatics > olefins > paraffins > naphthenes.