Systems and methods for renewable fuel
View Patent ↗The present application generally relates to the introduction of a renewable fuel oil as a feedstock into refinery systems or field upgrading equipment. For example, the present application is directed to methods of introducing a liquid thermally produced from biomass into a petroleum conversion unit; for example, a refinery fluid catalytic cracker (FCC), a coker, a field upgrader system, a hydrocracker, and/or hydrotreating unit; for co-processing with petroleum fractions, petroleum fraction reactants, and/or petroleum fraction feedstocks and the products, e.g., fuels, and uses and value of the products resulting therefrom.
1. A fuel, comprising: a product of a fluidized catalytic cracker co-processing a feed comprising a petroleum fraction and an unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock, wherein the co-processing converts at least 70 wt. % of the oxygen in the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock, as measured on a moisture free basis, into water, the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock comprising:
i) a product of non-catalytic rapid thermal conversion of a cellulosic biomass; and
ii) a carbon content of at least 40 wt. % on a moisture-free basis, and an oxygen content in the range of between 20-50 wt. % on a moisture-free basis.
2. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein the feed comprises:
i) 93-99.95 wt. % of the petroleum fraction; and
ii) 0.05-7 wt. % of the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock.
3. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is less than 0.25 wt. % oxygen.
4. The fuel of claim 3 , wherein the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has a solids content of less than 0.5 wt. % and a water content in the range of between 10-40 wt. %.
5. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the cellulosic biomass comprises wood or wood residues.
6. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the solids content is less than 0.1 wt. %.
7. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has an ash content of less than 0.05 wt. %.
8. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic biomass comprises wood or wood residues.
9. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic biomass comprises bagasse, palm fronds, or empty fruit bunches.
10. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein at least 60 wt. % of the cellulosic biomass is converted to the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock, and the feed further comprises:
i) 93-99.95 wt. % of the petroleum fraction; and
ii) 0.05-7 wt. % of the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock, the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock further comprising a product of mechanical grinding of the cellulosic biomass.
11. The fuel of claim 10 , wherein the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock comprises a carbon content in the range of between 50-75 wt. % on a moisture-free basis.
12. The fuel of claim 11 , wherein:
i) the cellulosic biomass comprises wood or wood residues; and
ii) the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has a solids content of less than 0.5 wt. % and an ash content of less than 0.1 wt. %.
13. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock further comprises:
i) a product of mechanical grinding of the cellulosic biomass; and
ii) a carbon content in the range of between 50-75 wt. % on a moisture-free basis.
14. The fuel of claim 13 , wherein:
i) the cellulosic biomass comprises bagasse, palm fronds, or empty fruit bunches; and
ii) the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has a solids content of less than 0.5 wt. % and an ash content of less than 0.1 wt. %.
15. The fuel of claim 10 , wherein:
i) the cellulosic biomass comprises wood or wood residues;
ii) the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has a solids content of less than 0.5 wt. % and an ash content of less than 0.1 wt. %; and
iii) the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has an energy content level in the range of between 60-80% of the energy content contained in the cellulosic biomass.
16. The fuel of claim 10 , wherein the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has an energy content level of between 45-85% on a moisture-free basis, relative to the energy content of the petroleum fraction.
17. The fuel of claim 10 , wherein:
i) the cellulosic biomass comprises wood or wood residues;
ii) the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has a solids content of less than 0.5 wt. % and an ash content of less than 0.1 wt. %; and
iii) the fluidized catalytic cracker is operated with a catalyst contact time in the range of between 3-5 seconds.
18. The fuel of claim 17 , wherein the cellulosic biomass comprises wood or wood residues.
19. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein:
i) the petroleum fraction comprises a vacuum gas oil;
ii) the unenriched renewable fuel oil feedstock has a solids content of less than 0.5 wt. % and an ash content of less than 0.1 wt. %; and
iii) the fluidized catalytic cracker is operated with a catalyst contact time in the range of between 3-5 seconds.
20. The fuel of claim 1 , wherein the petroleum fraction comprises a heavy gas oil or a heavy-middle distillate feedstock.