PROCESS FOR PRODUCING RENEWABLE GASOLINE, AND FUEL COMPOSITIONS PRODUCED THEREFROM
The present invention provides a process for producing gasoline components from syngas. Syngas is converted to one or more of methanol, ethanol, mixed alcohols, and dimethyl ether, followed by various combinations of separations and reactions to produce gasoline components with oxygenates, such as alcohols. The syngas is preferably derived from biomass or another renewable carbon-containing feedstock, thereby providing a biorefining process for the production of renewable gasoline.
1 . A process for producing an oxygenated gasoline blendstock, said process comprising:
(a) generating or providing syngas;
(b) dividing said syngas into a first syngas stream and a second syngas stream;
(c) converting at least some of said first syngas stream to methanol using a methanol-synthesis catalyst;
(d) converting at least some of said methanol to one or more gasoline components using a zeolite catalyst;
(e) converting at least some of said second syngas stream to two or more C 1 -C 4 alcohols using an alcohol-synthesis catalyst; and
(f) combining a portion of said C 1 -C 4 alcohols with a portion of said gasoline components, thereby producing an oxygenated gasoline blendstock.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said syngas is derived from biomass.
3 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising removing a portion of water from a product stream generated in step (e).
4 . The process of claim 3 , wherein at least some of said water is not removed.
5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said C 1 -C 4 alcohols include methanol, and wherein said process further comprises recycling at least some of said methanol generated in step (e) to step (d) for conversion to one or more gasoline components using a zeolite catalyst.
6 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising separating a portion of said C 1 -C 4 alcohols prior to step (f).
7 . The process of claim 6 , additionally comprising combining said portion of said C 1 -C 4 alcohols with said gasoline components, thereby generating oxygenated gasoline components.
8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said C 1 -C 4 alcohols include ethanol, and wherein said process further comprises separating a portion of said ethanol prior to step (f).
9 . The process of claim 8 , additionally comprising combining said portion of said ethanol with said gasoline components, thereby generating ethanol-containing gasoline components.
10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said oxygenated gasoline blendstock includes at least one C 5 -C 10 hydrocarbon.
11 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising hydrotreating at least some of said gasoline components.
12 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising isomerizing at least some of said gasoline components.
13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said oxygenated gasoline blendstock meets fuel specification ASTM D 4814-09a.
14 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising blending said oxygenated gasoline blendstock with another fuel, thereby generating gasoline.
15 . The process of claim 14 , wherein said gasoline meets fuel specification ASTM D 4814-09a.
16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the output from step (d) further includes C 2 -C 4 hydrocarbon gases that are recycled back to step (a).
17 . A process for producing an oxygenated gasoline blendstock, said process comprising:
(a) generating syngas from biomass;
(b) dividing said syngas into a first syngas stream and a second syngas stream;
(c) converting said first syngas stream to methanol using a methanol-synthesis catalyst;
(d) converting at least some of said methanol to one or more gasoline components using a zeolite catalyst;
(e) converting at least some of said second syngas stream to at least ethanol using an alcohol-synthesis catalyst; and
(f) combining a portion of said ethanol with a portion of said gasoline components, thereby producing an oxygenated gasoline blendstock.
18 . A gasoline composition produced by a process comprising:
(a) generating or providing syngas;
(b) dividing said syngas into a first syngas stream and a second syngas stream;
(c) converting at least some of said first syngas stream to methanol using a methanol-synthesis catalyst;
(d) converting at least some of said methanol to one or more gasoline components using a zeolite catalyst;
(e) converting at least some of said second syngas stream to two or more C 1 -C 4 alcohols using an alcohol-synthesis catalyst;
(f) combining a portion of said C 1 -C 4 alcohols with a portion of said gasoline components, thereby producing an oxygenated gasoline blendstock; and
(g) blending said oxygenated gasoline blendstock with another fuel, thereby producing a gasoline composition.
19 . The gasoline composition of claim 18 , wherein said composition comprises durene.
20 . The gasoline composition of claim 18 , wherein said composition includes about 2.7 wt % oxygen or less.
21 . The gasoline composition of claim 18 , wherein said composition includes greater than 2.7 wt % oxygen.
22 . The gasoline composition of claim 18 , wherein said composition includes at least 9 vol % ethanol.
23 . The gasoline composition of claim 18 , wherein said composition includes about 0.3 vol % methanol or less.
24 . The gasoline composition of claim 18 , wherein said composition includes greater than 0.3 vol % methanol.