Process for preparing a fluidizable biomass-catalyst composite material

1. A process for preparing a solid biomass material for a biocatalytic cracking process, said process for preparing comprising the steps of (i) providing a particulate, solid biomass material; (ii) forming a composite of said biomass material and a catalytic material; (iii) subjecting said biomass material to a thermal treatment at a torrefaction temperature at or above 200° C., and low enough to avoid significant conversion of said biomass material to liquid conversion products, wherein said thermal treatment is carried out in a reducing gas atmosphere; and (iv) reducing the particle size of said biomass material from step (iii) to thereby form fluidizable particles.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein step (ii) is carried out prior to step (iii).

3. The process of claim 1 wherein step (iii) is carried out prior to step (ii).

4. The process of claim 1 wherein step (iii) is carried out in an inert gas atmosphere.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said reducing gas atmosphere comprises carbon monoxide.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said catalytic material is an acidic material.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said catalytic material is a zeolite.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein said zeolite is ZSM-5.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein said catalytic material is a basic material.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal oxides and hydroxides; alkali metal carbonates; earth alkaline metal oxides and hydroxides; earth alkaline metal carbonates; layered mixed hydroxides; cationic layered materials; hydrotalcite and hydrotalcite-like materials; and mixtures thereof.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein said torrefaction temperature of step (iii) is in the range of from 200° C. to 300° C.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein said torrefaction temperature of step (iii) is in the range of from 220° C. to 260° C.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein said solid biomass material is a ligno-cellulosic biomass material.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein said biomass material is selected from the group consisting of wood, straw, grass, bagasse, corn stover, grasses, and mixtures thereof.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein said solid biomass comprises wood.

16. The process of claim 14 wherein said solid biomass comprises straw.

17. The process of claim 1 wherein said composite of biomass material and catalytic material is formed by impregnating said solid biomass material with a solution of catalytic material in a suitable solvent.

18. The process of claim 17 wherein said suitable solvent is an aqueous liquid.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein said composite of biomass material and catalytic material is formed by subjecting said solid biomass to mechanical action in the presence of a particulate catalytic material.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein said mechanical action comprises milling, grinding, extruding, kneading, or a combination thereof.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein, in step (iii), said biomass material is subjected to said torrefaction temperature during a time period in the range of from 10 minutes to 12 hours.

22. The process of claim 21 wherein said time period is in the range of from 15 minutes to 3 hours.

23. Fluidizable particles of a solid biomass material obtained by the process of claim 1 .

24. A biocatalytic cracking process comprising converting said fluidizable particles of claim 1 in a fluidized bed reactor.

25. The biocatalytic cracking process of claim 1 wherein said fluidizable particles are converted in said fluidized bed reactor at a conversion temperature in the range of from 300° C. to 450° C.

26. The process of claim 1 wherein said composite of biomass material and catalytic material can be used in hydropyrolysis reactor.