PRODUCING FUEL AND SPECIALTY CHEMICALS FROM GLYCERIDE CONTAINING BIOMASS
A method for catalytically cracking a triglyceride-containing biomass can include the steps of (i) catalytically cracking triglycerides in a biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature below about 300° C., to produce a first oil and a cellulosic portion and (ii) catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic portion, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., to produce a second oil. Another method for catalytically cracking a triglyceride-containing biomass includes catalytically cracking triglycerides in a biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., where the catalyst comprises an acidic or basic catalyst, to produce an oil comprising aromatics.
1 . A method for producing high-quality JP-8 or diesel fuel from a triglyceride-rich biomass such as algae or oil seed, the method comprising:
catalytically cracking triglycerides in a triglyceride-rich biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature below about 300° C., to produce a first bio-oil and a cellulosic residue;
catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic residue, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., to produce a second bio-oil;
mildly hydro-cracking the second bio-oil and, optionally, mildly hydro-cracking at least a portion of the first bio-oil, to produce a hydro-cracked portion; and
isomerizing or alkylating the hydro-cracked portion and, optionally isomerizing or alkylating at least a portion of the first bio-oil, to produce high-quality JP-8 or diesel fuel.
2 . A method for producing high-quality JP-8 or diesel fuel from a triglyceride-rich biomass such as algae or oil seed, the method comprising:
catalytically cracking triglycerides in a triglyceride-rich biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature below about 300° C., to produce a first bio-oil and a cellulosic residue;
catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic residue, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., together with the first bio-oil and an acidic or basic catalyst, to produce a second bio-oil comprising aromatics; and
mildly hydro-cracking the second bio-oil, to produce high-quality JP-8 or diesel fuel.
3 . A method for producing high-quality JP-8 or diesel fuel from a triglyceride-rich biomass such as algae or oil seed, the method comprising:
catalytically cracking triglycerides in a triglyceride-rich biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., wherein the catalyst comprises an acidic catalyst, to produce a bio-oil comprising aromatics; and
mildly hydro-cracking the bio-oil, to produce high-quality JP-8 or diesel fuel.
4 . A method for catalytically cracking a triglyceride-containing biomass, the method comprising:
catalytically cracking triglycerides in a biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature below about 300° C., to produce a first oil and a cellulosic portion; and
catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic portion, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., to produce a second oil.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
separating the first oil from the cellulosic portion before catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic portion; and
hydro-cracking the first oil and the second oil, to produce a hydro-cracked product.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising isomerizing or alkylating the hydro-cracked product, to produce a JP-8 or diesel fuel.
7 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
separating the first oil from the cellulosic portion before catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic portion; and
hydro-cracking the second oil, to produce a hydro-cracked product.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising isomerzing the first oil and the hydro-cracked product, to produce a JP-8 or diesel fuel.
9 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic residue, together with the first bio-oil and an acidic or basic catalyst, to produce a second bio-oil comprising aromatics.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising hydro-cracking the second oil, to produce a JP-8 or diesel fuel.
11 . A method for catalytically cracking a triglyceride-containing biomass, the method comprising catalytically cracking triglycerides in a biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., wherein the catalyst comprises an acidic or basic catalyst, to produce an oil comprising aromatics.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising hydro-cracking the oil, to produce JP-8 or diesel fuel.
13 . A method for converting a conventional petrochemical refinery for catalytically cracking a triglyceride-containing biomass, the method comprising:
providing or adapting a first conventional petroleum reactor for catalytically cracking triglycerides in a biomass-catalyst mixture, at a temperature below about 300° C., to produce a first oil and a cellulosic portion; and
providing or adapting the second conventional petroleum reactor for catalytically cracking cellulose in the cellulosic portion, at a temperature between about 300 and about 600° C., to produce a second oil.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing a system for separating the first oil from the cellulosic portion and for providing the first oil for mild hydro-cracking or isomerization.
15 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising catalytically cracking any one or more of a protein, nucleic acid, lignin or other non-cellulosic carbohydrate, and non-triglyceride lipid.