PRETREATMENT OF BIOMASS WITH CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL
A composition of matter is disclosed comprising an intimate mixture of a particulate solid biomass material and a carbonaceous material. The composition is suitable for conversion to a bio-oil in a pyrolysis reaction. The carbonaceous material acts as a reducing agent during the pyrolysis reaction. The composition of matter produces bio-oil in a greater yield than prior art processes. The bio-oil is of improved quality, as evidenced by its low TAN value.
1 . A composition of matter comprising an intimate mixture of a particulate solid biomass material and a carbonaceous material.
2 . The composition of matter of claim 1 consisting essentially of the intimate mixture of the particulate solid biomass material and the carbonaceous material.
3 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of coal, coke, char, tar, bio-oil, municipal solid waste, synthetic polymers, rubber, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and mixtures thereof.
4 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material has an oxygen content of less than 20 wt %.
5 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material has a hydrogen content of at least 4 wt %.
6 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material has an oxygen content of less than 10 wt % and a hydrogen content of at least 10 wt %.
7 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material is a solid.
8 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material comprises hard coke.
9 . The composition of matter of claim 8 wherein the hard coke is deposited on heated carrier particles or catalyst particles
10 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material comprises soft coke.
11 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material comprises rubber.
12 . The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material comprises a by-product or waste product of a biomass conversion process or another industrial process.
13 . A method for preparing an intimate mixture of a particulate solid biomass material and a carbonaceous material comprising the step of mechanically treating the particulate solid biomass material in the presence of the carbonaceous material.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the mechanical treatment is selected from milling, grinding, kneading, comminuting, and combinations thereof
15 . The method of claim 13 whereby a catalyst is added prior to or during the mechanical treatment.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the solid particulate biomass material is subjected to a temperature in the range of 30° C. to 300° C. prior to and/or during the mechanical treatment.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the temperature is in the range of from 90° C. to 200° C.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the temperature is in the range of from 105° C. to 150° C.
19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the temperature is in the range of from 200° C. to 300° C.
20 . The method of claim 16 wherein the pressure is above atmospheric pressure.