One-step production of furfural from biomass

• US 10,253,009 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Chheda, Juben Nemchand, Lange, Jean Paul Andre Marie Joseph Ghislain
• Primary Examiner(s): Mauro, John M
• Application Number:
  US15/502,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20170233362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 307/48 Furfural
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 307/50 Preparation from natural products
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/002 Xylose

Abstract

Methods and processes for the production of valuable organic products and alcohols from biomass using a single-step dehydration extraction process having numerous advantages over prior production methods are described.

Claims

1. A process for converting biomass into furfural, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pentosan-containing biomass material;

(b) subjecting the pentosan-containing biomass material to an acid catalyzed digestion process and a dehydration reaction in a digestion vessel at a temperature greater than about 100°

C. in the presence of an acid, water and a water-immiscible organic solvent to produce a digested product stream comprising water, organic solvent, furfural and solids;

(c) separating the digested product stream into a liquid product stream and a solids product stream, the liquid product stream comprising water, organic solvent and furfural;

(d) subjecting the liquid product stream to a liquid-liquid extraction for a period of time sufficient to separate the liquid product stream into an aqueous stream and an organic product stream, the organic product stream comprising furfural;

(e) separating furfural from the organic product stream to yield furfural and organic solvent; and

(f) treating the solids product stream to further remove organic solvent to yield an organic solvent depleted solids product stream and recovered water-immiscible organic solvent.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein at least part of the organic solvent yielded in step (e) and/or step (f) is recycled to step (b).

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture comprising pentosan containing biomass material, water and a water-immiscible organic solvent has a solid-to-liquid weight ratio ranging from about 1:

3 to about 1;

30.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the mixture comprising pentosan containing biomass material, water and a water-immiscible organic solvent has a solid-to-liquid weight ratio ranging from about 1:

6 to about 1;

10.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture comprising pentosan containing biomass material, water and a water-immiscible organic solvent has a water-to-water-immiscible organic solvent weight ratio ranging from about 9:

1 to about 1;

3.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the acid catalyst in the digestion process, the dehydration process, or both is selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the acid catalyst in the digestion process, the dehydration process, or both, is a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of HCl, HNO₃, H₂SO₄, H₃PO₄, and H₃BO₃.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid product stream separated from the solids product stream following digestion comprises furfural in a concentration ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 15 wt %.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid product stream comprises furfural a concentration ranging from about 0.2 wt % to about 10 wt %.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein at least part of the aqueous stream of step (d) is recycled to step (b).

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the temperature in step (a) is in the range of from about 100°

C. to about 250°

C.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the pH in step (a) is less than pH 5.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein part of the organic product stream comprising furfural from step (d) is directly recycled to step (b).

14. The process of claim 1, wherein solids in the solids product stream are converted into alcohol, glycol, acid, power, energy, or a fuel gas.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein the treating the solids product stream comprises washing the solids, evaporation of the solvent, or a combination thereof.