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 method for preparing liquid fuel products, comprising:
co-processing a plurality of reactants in a catalytic cracker, said plurality of reactants comprising:
i) 93-99.95 wt. % of a petroleum fraction; and
ii) 0.05-7 wt. % of a renewable fuel oil blended with a conditioning additive, said renewable fuel oil derived from rapid thermal processing of a cellulosic biomass,
wherein the renewable fuel oil has:
a) carbon content of at least 40 wt. % on a moisture-free basis;
b) an oxygen content in the range of between 20-50 wt. % on a moisture-free basis; and
c) a water content in the range of between 10-40 wt. %.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a) the catalytic cracker is present in a refinery; and
b) the blended renewable fuel oil is introduced to the refinery.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rapid thermal processing comprises non-catalytic rapid thermal processing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol additive comprises ethanol.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the renewable fuel oil has a water content of less than 20 wt. %.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol additive comprises methanol.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol additive comprises propanol.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol additive comprises isopropyl alcohol.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol additive comprises glycerol.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol additive comprises butanol.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a) the renewable fuel oil is further blended with a petroleum material; and
b) the further blended renewable fuel oil is introduced to the catalytic cracker.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the further blending is in the presence of a surfactant.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the further blending is in the absence of a surfactant.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a) the renewable fuel oil is the product of grinding and non-catalytic rapid thermal processing of the cellulosic biomass.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least 70 wt. % of the cellulosic biomass is converted to the renewable fuel oil.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the renewable fuel oil has:
a) a solids content of less than 0.01 wt. %; and
b) an ash content of less than 0.05 wt. %.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the alcohol additive is ethanol.
18. A method for preparing liquid fuel products, comprising:
co-processing a plurality of reactants in a catalytic cracker, said plurality of reactants comprising:
i) 93-99.95 wt. % of a petroleum fraction; and
ii) 0.05-7 wt. % of renewable fuel oil blended with ethanol, said renewable fuel oil comprising a product of grinding and non-catalytic rapid thermal processing to convert at least 60 wt. % of the cellulosic biomass to the unenriched renewable fuel oil,
wherein the renewable fuel oil has:
a) carbon content of at least 40 wt. % on a moisture-free basis;
b) an oxygen content in the range of between 20-50 wt. % on a moisture-free basis; and
c) a water content in the range of between 10-40 wt. %.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:
a) the renewable fuel oil is further blended with a petroleum material; and
b) the further blended renewable fuel oil is introduced to the catalytic cracker.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the further blending is in the absence of a surfactant.