Renewable co-solvents for thermochemical bio-oil processing
Treating pyrolysis oil to yield a liquid fuel or liquid fuel precursor includes combining the pyrolysis oil with one or more co-solvents to yield a mixture, and hydrotreating the mixture to yield the liquid fuel or liquid fuel precursor. The co-solvent can include one or more alcohols. The liquid fuel can be a transportation fuel, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, or marine fuel. The liquid fuel precursor can be a transportation fuel precursor, such as a gasoline precursor, a diesel fuel precursor, a jet fuel precursor, or a marine fuel precursor.
1. A method of treating pyrolysis oil to yield a liquid fuel or liquid fuel precursor, the method comprising:
processing acetic acid to yield one or more alcohols;
combining the pyrolysis oil with the one or more alcohols to yield a mixture; and
hydrotreating the mixture to yield the liquid fuel or liquid fuel precursor, wherein:
processing the acetic acid comprises:
condensing the acetic acid to yield isopropanone;
oligomerizing the isopropanone to yield isophorone; and
hydrogenating the isophorone to yield 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanol.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis oil comprises ≤30 wt % water.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis oil comprises ≥5 wt % oxygen.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises between 5 wt % and 95 wt % of the one or more alcohols.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more alcohols comprise one or more C9 alcohols.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more alcohols further comprise one or more C3 alcohols.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel or liquid fuel precursor further comprises one or more of methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, 1,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 4-heptanol, 6-undecanol, methoxycyclohexane, phenol, 4-propyl-1-cyclohexanol, 1-butanol, 1-octadecanol, and octadecane.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis oil has a net heat of combustion of ≥15 MJ/kg.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the acetic acid further comprises hydrogenating the isopropanone to yield isopropanol.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the acetic acid further comprises oligomerizing the isopropanone to yield 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein processing the acetic acid further comprises hydrogenating the 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene to yield 1,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating an aqueous component from the pyrolysis oil before combining the pyrolysis oil with the one or more alcohols.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the aqueous component comprises the acetic acid, and combining the pyrolysis oil with the one or more alcohols comprises recycling the acetic acid.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis oil is derived from woody biomass.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture is a single phase mixture.