IP Library Granted Patent US 8,604,260
Granted Patent B2
US 8,604,260 · App. 13/032,399 · Granted Dec 10, 2013

Biomass pyrolysis conversion process with high olefin production and upgrade

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,604,260
App. No.
13/032,399
Granted
Dec 10, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a process for biomass conversion in a catalytic pyrolysis reactor to convert such to liquid hydrocarbons which includes conditions which favor increased olefin production; wherein the olefins are then upgraded alone or with the produced bio-oil to fuel range hydrocarbons.

Claims (30)

1. A process comprising:

a) converting a biomass feed in a reaction zone to reaction products comprising: i) bio-oil and ii) light gases comprising non-condensables, light paraffins, and olefins;

b) separating said reaction products into a liquid bio-oil stream comprising at least a portion of said bio-oil, and a gas stream comprising at least a portion of said olefins;

c) separating said gas stream into an olefin stream comprising said olefins and an off-gas stream comprising non-condensables; and

d) converting at least a portion of said olefins of said olefin stream in a conversion zone to a conversion product stream comprising hydrocarbons having at least five carbon atoms per molecule.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said conversion product stream is mixed with said bio-oil stream.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said bio-oil stream is hydrotreated to form a hydrotreated stream comprising less oxygen atoms per molecule than said bio-oil stream; and mixing said hydrotreated stream with said conversion product stream.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said olefins are converted in said conversion zone by a method selected from the group consisting of alkylation, catalytic polymerization, aromatization, and combinations thereof.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said method is alkylation and includes alkylating isobutane with said olefins to form said conversion product stream comprising alkylated hydrocarbons having six to eight carbon atoms per molecule.

6. The process of claim 4 wherein said method is alkylation and includes alkylating aromatics with said olefins to form said conversion product stream comprising alkylated aromatics having from eight to fourteen carbon atoms per molecule.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said alkylated aromatics comprise chemicals selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzene, cumene, and combinations thereof; and wherein at least a portion of said chemicals are separated from said conversion product stream for use in further chemical processing.

8. The process of claim 4 wherein said method is catalytic polymerization and includes reacting said olefins with each other over an acidic catalyst to form said conversion product stream comprising olefinic oligomers having six to twelve carbon atoms per molecule.

9. The process of claim 4 wherein said method is aromatization and includes contacting said olefins with a zeolite catalyst at a temperature in the range of from about 300° C. to about 450° C. to form said conversion product stream comprising aromatics and paraffins.

10. A process comprising:

a) converting a biomass feed in a reaction zone to reaction products comprising: i) bio-oil and ii) light gases comprising non-condensables, light paraffins, and olefins;

b) separating said reaction products into a liquid bio-oil stream comprising at least a portion of said bio-oil, and a gas stream comprising at least a portion of said olefins;

c) converting at least a portion of said olefins of said gas stream in a conversion zone to a conversion product stream comprising hydrocarbons having at least five carbon atoms per molecule; wherein said reaction zone operates at a temperature in the range of from about 250 to about 600° C., and in the substantial absence of oxygen.

11. A process comprising:

a) converting a biomass feed in a reaction zone to reaction products comprising: i) bio-oil and ii) light gases comprising non-condensables, light paraffins, and olefins;

b) contacting said reaction products with a catalyst, in a conversion zone, for conversion to a conversion product stream by a process selected from the group consisting of: i) reacting at least a portion of said olefins with each other to form hydrocarbons having a greater number of carbon atoms per molecule than said olefins, ii) reacting at least a portion of said olefins with at least a portion of said bio-oil thereby producing a heavier bio-oil, iii) reacting at least a portion of said olefins with hydrocarbons contained in a hydrocarbon stream separately charged to said conversion zone, and iv) combinations thereof;

c) condensing portions of said conversion product stream to form a gas stream comprising said non-condensables and a liquid stream comprising a liquid bio-oil and water; d) separating a bio-oil stream comprising said liquid bio-oil from said liquid stream;

wherein said olefins are converted in said conversion zone by catalytic polymerization.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein said method is catalytic polymerization and includes reacting said olefins with each other over an acidic catalyst to form said conversion product stream comprising olefinic oligomers having six to twelve carbon atoms per molecule.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein said bio-oil stream is hydrotreated to form a hydrotreated stream comprising less oxygen atoms per molecule than said bio-oil stream.

14. A process comprising:

a) converting a biomass feed in a reaction zone to reaction products comprising: i) bio-oil and ii) light gases comprising non-condensables, light paraffins, and olefins;

b) contacting said reaction products with a catalyst, in a conversion zone, for conversion to a conversion product stream by a process selected from the group consisting of: i) reacting at least a portion of said olefins with each other to form hydrocarbons having a greater number of carbon atoms per molecule than said olefins, ii) reacting at least a portion of said olefins with at least a portion of said bio-oil thereby producing a heavier bio-oil, iii) reacting at least a portion of said olefins with hydrocarbons contained in a hydrocarbon stream separately charged to said conversion zone, and iv) combinations thereof;

c) condensing portions of said conversion product stream to form a gas stream comprising said non-condensables and a liquid stream comprising a liquid bio-oil and water;

d) separating a bio-oil stream comprising said liquid bio-oil from said liquid stream; wherein said olefins are converted in said conversion zone by an alkylation method selected from the group consisting of: i) adding isobutane to said conversion zone and alkylating said isobutane with said olefins to form at least a portion of said conversion product stream comprising alkylated hydrocarbons having six to eight carbon atoms per molecule; ii) alkylating aromatics, contained in a separate aromatic-containing stream charged to said conversion zone, with said olefins to form at least a portion of said conversion product stream comprising alkylated aromatics having from eight to fourteen carbon atoms per molecule; and iii) combinations thereof.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein said alkylated aromatics comprise chemicals selected from the group consisting of ethyl benzene, cumene, and combinations thereof; and wherein at least a portion of said chemicals are separated from said conversion product stream for use in further chemical processing.

Assignments (6)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: INAERIS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: MARD, INC.
Reel/Frame 054213/0032 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: KIOR, LLC
To: INAERIS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 038380/0344 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Sep 29, 2015
From: KIOR, INC.
To: KIOR, LLC
Reel/Frame 036717/0262 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2014
From: KIOR, INC.
To: KFT TRUST, VINOD KHOSLA, TRUSTEE, AS FIRST LIEN AGENT
Reel/Frame 033390/0423 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2012
From: KIOR, INC.
To: 1538731 ALBERTA LTD., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 027689/0151 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2011
From: DITSCH, ANDRE
To: KIOR INC.
Reel/Frame 025847/0903 →