Fluid bed lipid conversion
A process involves (a) processing a lipid feedstock over a fluidized particulate catalyst in a gas-based stream in a fluid bed reactor to obtain a processed stream and spent catalyst comprising coke deposits, (b) continuously introducing the spent catalyst comprising the coke deposits to a catalyst regeneration unit, (c) continuously operating the catalyst regeneration unit to burn off the coke deposits from the spent catalyst to obtain a regenerated particulate catalyst, and (d) continuously introducing the regenerated particulate catalyst from the catalyst regeneration unit to the fluid bed reactor.
1. A process, comprising:
(a) processing a lipid feedstock over a fluidized particulate catalyst in a gas-based stream in a fluid bed reactor to obtain a processed stream and spent catalyst comprising coke deposits, wherein the processed stream includes a gaseous fraction and a liquid fraction comprising a bio-oil, wherein the bio-oil has a lower content of oxygen and impurities as compared to the lipid feedstock;
(b) continuously introducing the spent catalyst comprising the coke deposits to a catalyst regeneration unit;
(c) continuously operating the catalyst regeneration unit to burn off the coke deposits from the spent catalyst to obtain a regenerated particulate catalyst; and
(d) continuously introducing the regenerated particulate catalyst from the catalyst regeneration unit to the fluid bed reactor.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the lipid feedstock comprises glycerides of at least one fatty acid selected from the group consisting of an acidulated soap-stock, a fatty acid distillate from physical refining of plant oils or animal fats, a distiller corn oil from ethanol production, a waste cooking oil, lard, brown grease, yellow grease, trap grease, a waste fat, a low-grade oil, a supercritical water liquefaction oil, a plant oil, an animal fat, and any combination thereof.
3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the lipid feedstock comprises fatty acid methyl esters.
4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the lipid feedstock is partially decomposed and/or hydrolyzed.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fluidized particulate catalyst comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Cr, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, rare earth metals, and any combination thereof, and an oxide support selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, titania, zirconia, and any combination thereof.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fluidized particulate catalyst has an average particle diameter of about 0.05 to about 4 millimeters (mm).
7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the processing of the lipid feedstock over the fluidized particulate catalyst in a gas-based stream in the fluid bed reactor is carried out under reaction conditions comprising one or more of the following: a temperature in a range of from about 400° C. to about 700° C., a pressure in a range of from about 0.1 to about 10 MPa, and a liquid hourly space velocity in a range of from about 0.1 to about 10 h −1 .
8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein processing the lipid feedstock over the fluidized particulate catalyst in the gas-based stream in the fluid bed reactor comprises introducing the lipid feedstock and the fluidized particulate catalyst in the gas-based stream at different injection points.
9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein introducing the fluidized particulate catalyst in the gas-based stream comprising introducing the regenerated particulate catalyst from the catalyst regeneration unit to the fluid bed reactor in the presence of steam.
10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein continuously operating the catalyst regeneration unit to burn off the coke deposits from the spent catalyst comprises introducing an oxygen source into the catalyst regeneration unit in the presence of heat.
11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the spent catalyst is heated to a temperature of about 450° C. to about 1000° C. to provide a hot regenerated particulate catalyst, and continuously introducing the hot regenerated particulate catalyst from the catalyst regeneration unit to the fluid bed reactor.
12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid bed reactor further comprises a riser for initial contact between the lipid feedstock and the fluidized particulate catalyst in the gas-based stream, wherein the lipid feedstock and the fluidized particulate catalyst travel upwards through the riser together while the processing is initiated, and wherein the lipid feedstock and the fluidized particulate catalyst subsequently enter the fluid bed reactor.
13. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the riser is operatively connected to a bottom portion of the fluid bed reactor.
14. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the riser is operatively connected to a top portion of the fluid bed reactor.
15. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the lipid feedstock and the fluidized particulate catalyst are in the riser for a time period of about 5 seconds to about 60 seconds.
16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the processing of the lipid feedstock over the fluidized particulate catalyst in the gas-based stream continues to completion in the fluid bed reactor.
17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the gas-based stream comprises one of hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, a C 1 to C 4 hydrocarbon, water or mixtures thereof.
18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the regenerated particulate catalyst is free of coke deposits.
19. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising subjecting the bio-oil to a catalytic hydroprocessing step to provide a hydroprocessed product.
20. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid fraction comprising a bio-oil contains less than about 0.5 ppm of chlorine.