The Impact of Catalytic Materials on Fuel Reformulation

The impact of catalytic materials on fuel reformulation

Stefano Rossini

Snamprogetti, S. Donato Milanese, Italy

Abstract

Fuel reformulation has been seeded by the growing consciousness of the potential damages mankind was causing to the

ecosystem and to itself. Fuel reformulation means that fuels are defined on a chemical composition base with additional

engine-technology related standards rather than on pure performance bases. These standards, which are getting more and

more stringent, can be met by different leverages, mainly catalysts and processes operating conditions.

This survey reviews the contribution of catalytic materials to the production of cleaner fuel components through some

significant examples selected from scientific and technical literature. Having described the trends in automotive fuels quality,

production of gasoline and diesel pool components is discussed relating the required properties to the material active site

configuration, i.e. acidity/basicity, structural parameters, physical constraints. While distinctions are made between pathways

leading to gasoline and those leading to diesel, sulfur removal is faced on a more generalized approach.

© 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Catalytic materials; Fuel reformulation; Sulfur; Reformulated gasoline; Reformulated diesel

1. Introduction

As a consequence of the growing awareness of

mankind to the potential damage to the earth’s ecosystem,

a fuel revolution is taking place: “reformulated

fuels” are defined on a chemical composition base

with additional performance standards rather than on

a behavior base.

The energy history has experienced the introduction

of fossil fuels in the last couple of centuries causing

a continuously growing release of contaminants

to the atmosphere. Their nature and effects are different

and we can divide them into toxic and non-toxic

to