Effect of Catalyst Bed Arrangement on the Conversion of Processed Palm Oil into Bio-Jet Fuel Using Co/ZSM-5 Catalyst

The growing demand for sustainable aviation fuels has driven the development of efficient catalyst materials. This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of the Co/ZSM-5 catalyst, evaluate the effect of catalyst bed arrangement (single- and double-bed configurations) on catalytic performance, and assess its reusability for converting processed palm oil into bio-jet fuel. The catalyst was analyzed using XRD, FTIR, Raman, SAA, NH3-TPD, XPS, and SEM-EDX instruments. The experiment was conducted in a semi-batch reactor equipped with a dual furnace. The hydrotreatment process was carried out at temperatures ranging from 200 to 550 °C with an H2 flow rate of 20 mL/min for 3 h. The liquid product was analyzed by GC-MS and FTIR, while the spent catalyst was characterized by SEM-EDX mapping. The results showed that the catalyst exhibited good crystallinity, a moderate surface area, a suitable pore structure, strong acidity, and a stable cobalt dispersion. Catalyst activity tests revealed bio-jet fuel yields of 48.17% for the single-bed Co/ZSM-5 catalyst and 51.74% for the double-bed arrangement, highlighting the significant influence of bed arrangement effect on product yield and selectivity. After three reusability cycles, both single- and double-bed Co/ZSM-5 catalysts demonstrated consistent yields with relatively stable selectivity.