Direct aqueous phase reforming of bio-based feedstocks

1. A method comprising:

providing a bio-based feedstock comprising lignin;

contacting the bio-based feedstock with a hydrolysis catalyst and a solvent to form an intermediate product comprising carbohydrates;

contacting at least a portion of the intermediate product with a hydrogenolysis catalyst in the presence of first hydrogen source to form at least some hydrogenolysis reaction products;

contacting at least a portion of the intermediate stream with a hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of second hydrogen source to form at least some hydrogenation reaction products;

contacting at least a portion of the intermediate stream with an aqueous phase reforming (APR) catalyst to form at least some APR reaction products;

wherein at least a portion of the hydrogenolysis reaction products, at least a portion of the hydrogenation reaction products, and at a least a portion of the APR reaction products are combined to form a plurality of oxygenated intermediates,

wherein a first portion of the oxygenated intermediates are recycled to form at least a portion of the solvent,

wherein the hydrolysis reaction and at least one of the hydrogenolysis reaction, hydrogenation reaction, and aqueous phase reforming reaction take place in the same vessel; and

processing at least a second portion of the oxygenated intermediates to form a fuel blend.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the APR reaction products comprise hydrogen, and said hydrogen is at least one of the first hydrogen source and the second hydrogen source.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogenolysis catalyst, the hydrogenation catalyst, and the APR catalyst are the same catalyst.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogenolysis catalyst, the hydrogenation catalyst, and the APR catalyst are present in the same reactor vessel.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing of at least a second portion of the oxygenated intermediates comprises contacting at least the second portion of the oxygenated intermediates with a hydrogenation catalyst to form the fuel blend, wherein the fuel blend comprises a fuel additive.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing of at least a second portion of the oxygenated intermediates comprises contacting at least the second portion of the oxygenated intermediates with a condensation catalyst to form the fuel blend, wherein the fuel blend comprises a gasoline fuel.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the bio-based feedstock comprising lignin comprises a solids feedstock.