Method for producing bio-fuel that integrates heat from carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions to drive biomass gasification reactions
View Patent ↗A low-temperature catalytic process for converting biomass (preferably glycerol recovered from the fabrication of bio-diesel) to synthesis gas (i.e., H 2 /CO gas mixture) in an endothermic gasification reaction is described. The synthesis gas is used in exothermic carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions, such as Fischer-Tropsch, methanol, or dimethylether syntheses. The heat from the exothermic carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction is integrated with the endothermic gasification reaction, thus providing an energy-efficient route for producing fuels and chemicals from renewable biomass resources.
1. A method of fabricating hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons comprising:
(a) performing an endothermic gasification reaction with a biomass reactant at a temperature less than or equal to about 750 K, to yield synthesis gas;
(b) performing an exothermic synthesis gas utilization reaction or carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction with the synthesis gas of step (a) at a temperature greater than or equal to the temperature of the gasification reaction performed in step (a), wherein the reaction produces hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons, and heat;
(c) integrating the heat generated from the synthesis gas utilization reaction or carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction of step (b) with the endothermic gasification reaction of step (a); (d) performing step (a) and step (b) using only one catalyst bed; and
(e) performing step (a) and step (b) simultaneously with the one catalyst bed, wherein the catalyst bed comprises a mixture of catalysts or a single catalyst dimensioned and configured to catalyze the reaction of both step (a) and step (b).
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction at a temperature less than or equal to about 625 K.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction at a temperature less than or equal to about 575 K.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction at a temperature less than or equal to about 550 K.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising performing step (a) and step (b) simultaneously in a single reactor vessel.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction with a reactant comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction with a reactant comprising glycerol.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises performing a Fischer-Tropsch reaction.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalysts comprising a Group VIIIB metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, and Pt).
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the catalyst is alloyed with, is combined with, or further comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, K Mn, La, Re, Zn, Si, Ag, Ce Gd, Th, Mn, Zr, Ti, Cr, V, Li, Na, Rb, Cs, Mo, Au, B, and Cl, and oxides thereof.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalyst(s) comprising platinum, ruthenium, rhenium, and combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalysts comprising a Group VIIIB metal disposed on a support.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of carbon, and oxides of aluminum, cerium, zirconium, and magnesium, and combinations thereof.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, ZrO 2 , Zr x Ti y O 2 , ThO 2 , Kieselguhr, La 2 O 3 , MgCr 2 O 4 , Ti x Si y O 2 , Ti x Zr y O 2 , ZnO, Cr 2 O 3 , MnO, Nb 2 O 5 , CeO 2 , Y-zeolite, USY-zeolite, ZSM-5 zeolite, MCM-41 zeolite, MCM-22 zeolite, HZSM-5 zeolite, H-BEA zeolite, HY-zeolite, Fe-substituted LTL zeolite, ITQ-6, delaminated zeolite, ITQ-2 delaminated zeolite, HMS molecular sieves, montmorillonite, macroporous styrene-divinylbenzene, 4-vinylpridine-divinylbenzene, anthracene, carbonized-quinoline, and combinations therefore.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using at least one catalyst comprising platinum, ruthenium, rhenium, and combinations thereof, and wherein the catalyst is disposed on a support selected from the group consisting of carbon, Al 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , ZrO 2 , MgO, ZrO 2 , and combinations thereof.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synthesis gas from step (a) is introduced directly into the reaction of step (b), absent any pre-treatment.
17. A method of fabricating C 2 to C 36 linear or branched hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons comprising:
(a) performing an endothermic gasification reaction with a reactant stream comprising compounds selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, monosaccharides, polyols, and combinations thereof, at a temperature less than or equal to about 625 K, to yield synthesis gas;
(b) performing an exothermic Fischer-Tropsch reaction with the synthesis gas of step (a) at a temperature greater than or equal to the temperature of the gasification reaction performed in step (a), wherein the reaction produces C 2 to C 36 hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons, and heat;
(c) integrating the heat generated from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction of step (b) with the endothermic gasification reaction of step (a); (d) performing step (a) and step (b) using only one catalyst bed; and
(e) performing step (a) and step (b) simultaneously with the one catalyst bed, wherein the catalyst bed comprises a mixture of catalysts or a single catalyst dimensioned and configured to catalyze the reaction of both step (a) and step (b).
18. The method of claim 17 , comprising performing step (a) and step (b) simultaneously in a single reactor vessel.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction with a reactant comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein step (a) comprises performing the endothermic gasification reaction with a reactant comprising glycerol.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalysts comprising a Group VIIIB metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, and Pt).
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the catalyst is alloyed with, is combined with, or further comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, K Mn, La, Re, Zn, Si, Ag, Ce Gd, Th, Mn, Zr, Ti, Cr, V, Li, Na, Rb, Cs, Mo, Au, B, and Cl, and oxides thereof.
23. The method of claim 17 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalyst(s) comprising platinum, ruthenium, rhenium, and combinations thereof.
24. The method of claim 17 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalysts comprising a Group VIIIB metal disposed on a support.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of carbon, and oxides of aluminum, cerium, zirconium, and magnesium, and combinations thereof.
26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, ZrO 2 , Zr x Ti y O 2 , ThO 2 , Kieselguhr, La 2 O 3 , MgCr 2 O 4 , Ti x Si y O 2 , Ti x Zr y O 2 , ZnO, Cr 2 O 3 , MnO, Nb 2 O 5 , CeO 2 , Y-zeolite, USY-zeolite, ZSM-5 zeolite, MCM-41 zeolite, MCM-22 zeolite, HZSM-5 zeolite, H-BEA zeolite, HY-zeolite, Fe-substituted LTL zeolite, ITQ-6, delaminated zeolite, ITQ-2 delaminated zeolite, HMS molecular sieves, montmorillonite, macroporous styrene-divinylbenzene, 4-vinylpridine-divinylbenzene, anthracene, carbonized-quinoline, and combinations therefore.
27. The method of claim 17 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using at least one catalyst comprising platinum, ruthenium, rhenium, and combinations thereof, and wherein the catalyst is disposed on a support selected from the group consisting of carbon, Al 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , ZrO 2 , MgO, ZrO 2 , and combinations thereof.
28. The method of claim 17 , wherein the synthesis gas from step (a) is introduced directly into the reaction of step (b), absent any pre-treatment.
29. A method of fabricating C 2 to C 36 linear or branched hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons comprising:
(a) performing an endothermic gasification reaction with a reactant stream comprising glycerol, at a temperature less than or equal to about 625 K, using a catalyst comprising a Group VIIIB metal, to yield synthesis gas;
(b) performing an exothermic Fischer-Tropsch reaction with the synthesis gas of step (a) at a temperature greater than or equal to the temperature of the gasification reaction performed in step (a), wherein the reaction produces C 2 to C 36 hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons, and heat;
(c) integrating the heat generated from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction of step (b) with the endothermic gasification reaction of step (a); (d) performing step (a) and step (b) using only one catalyst bed; and
(e) performing step (a) and step (b) simultaneously with the one catalyst bed, wherein the catalyst bed comprises a mixture of catalysts or a single catalyst dimensioned and configured to catalyze the reaction of both step (a) and step (b).
30. The method of claim 29 , comprising performing step (a) and step (b) simultaneously in a single reactor vessel.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalysts comprising a Group VIIIB metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, and Pt).
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the catalyst is alloyed with, is combined with, or further comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, K Mn, La, Re, Zn, Si, Ag, Ce Gd, Th, Mn, Zr, Ti, Cr, V, Li, Na, Rb, Cs, Mo, Au, B, and Cl, and oxides thereof.
33. The method of claim 29 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalyst(s) comprising platinum, ruthenium, rhenium, and combinations thereof.
34. The method of claim 29 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using one or more catalysts comprising a Group VIIIB metal disposed on a support.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of carbon, and oxides of aluminum, cerium, zirconium, and magnesium, and combinations thereof.
36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, ZrO 2 , Zr x Ti y O 2 , ThO 2 , Kieselguhr, La 2 O 3 , MgCr 2 O 4 , Ti x Si y O 2 , Ti x Zr y O 2 , ZnO, Cr 2 O 3 , MnO, Nb 2 O 5 , CeO 2 , Y-zeolite, USY-zeolite, ZSM-5 zeolite, MCM-41 zeolite, MCM-22 zeolite, HZSM-5 zeolite, H-BEA zeolite, HY-zeolite, Fe-substituted LTL zeolite, ITQ-6, delaminated zeolite, ITQ-2 delaminated zeolite, HMS molecular sieves, montmorillonite, macroporous styrene-divinylbenzene, 4-vinylpridine-divinylbenzene, anthracene, carbonized-quinoline, and combinations therefore.
37. The method of claim 29 , wherein step (a) and step (b) are performed using at least one catalyst comprising platinum, ruthenium, rhenium, and combinations thereof, and wherein the catalyst is disposed on a support selected from the group consisting of carbon, Al 2 O 3 , CeO 2 , ZrO 2 , MgO, ZrO 2 , and combinations thereof.
38. The method of claim 29 , wherein the synthesis gas from step (a) is introduced directly into the reaction of step (b), absent any pre-treatment.