Processes for producing high biogenic concentration fischer-tropsch liquids derived from municipal solid wastes (MSW) feedstocks

• US 10,344,232 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2017
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermochem Recovery International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fulcrum Bioenergy, Inc.
• Inventors: Lucas, Stephen H., Tiverios, Peter G., Rich, Lewis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsa, Jafar F
• Application Number:
  US15/682,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20170369805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0006 Controlling or regulating processes controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00115 with heat exchange elements inside the bed of solid particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/00 Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/1518 one step being the formation of initial mixture of carbon oxides and hydrogen for synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/04 Methanol
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/08 Ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/32 with the use of catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/34 Apparatus, reactors
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 47/00 Cracking of hydrocarbon oils, in the presence of hydrogen or hydrogen- generating compounds, to obtain lower boiling fractions C10G15/00 takes precedence; destructive hydrogenation of non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials C10G1/06
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0903 Feed preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0906 Physical processes, e.g. shredding, comminuting, chopping, sorting
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0959 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0976 as steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1628 Ash post-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1634 Ash vitrification
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1643 Conversion of synthesis gas to energy
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1659 to liquid hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1671 with the production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1675 : making use of a steam turbine
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1815 : for carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1853 : Steam reforming, i.e. injection of steam only
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/26 : downwardly
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/466 : Entrained flow processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/485 : Entrained flow gasifiers
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/721 : Multistage gasification, e.g. plural parallel or serial gasification stages
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/82 : Gas withdrawal means
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/004 : Sulfur containing contaminants, e.g. hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/005 : Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/101 : with water only
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/16 : with non-aqueous liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/001 : by thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/04 : reducing the carbon monoxide content , e.g. water-gas shift [WGS]
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 : essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/08 : for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 : Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0492 : Fischer-Tropsch products
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/023 : for gasoline engines
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/026 : for diesel engines, e.g. automobiles, stationary, marine
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/04 : for turbines, planes, power generation
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/04 : Gasification
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/10 : Recycling of a stream within the process or apparatus to reuse elsewhere therein
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/42 : Fischer-Tropsch steps
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/54 : Specific separation steps for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/543 : Distillation, fractionation or rectification for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 : Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 : Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/50 : Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock

Abstract

Processes for producing high biogenic concentration Fischer-Tropsch liquids derived from the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) feedstock that contains a relatively high concentration of biogenic carbon (derived from plants) and a relatively low concentration of non-biogenic carbon (derived from fossil sources) wherein the biogenic content of the Fischer-Tropsch liquids is the same as the biogenic content of the feedstock.

Claims

1. A Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived from biogenic carbon materials obtained solely from processed municipal solid wastes, the fuel derived from a process comprising the steps of:

a) in a feedstock processing step, removing non-biogenic derived carbon materials and non-carbonaceous materials from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from plant derived carbon (biogenic) as well as non-biogenic derived carbon (fossil based) materials, to produce a processed MSW feedstock that contains a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbons along with other non-carbonaceous materials from the municipal solid wastes; and

b) converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in a bio-refinery while maintaining the concentration of biogenic carbon up to 90% from the processed MSW feedstock.

2. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 1 wherein the feedstock processing step includes at least two processing steps.

3. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 1 wherein, in the feedstock processing step, more than about 10% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are purposefully removed from the municipal solid wastes.

4. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 1 wherein, in the feedstock processing step, up to about 80% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed from the municipal solid wastes.

5. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of biogenic carbon in the Fisher-Tropsch liquids includes up to about 60% biogenic carbon.

6. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 1 wherein the step of converting the processed feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in the bio-refinery, further comprises:

converting the biogenic carbon into biogenic syngas in a gasification island (GI) by a combination of steam reforming, sub-stoichiometric carbon oxidation and hydrocarbon reformation while producing syngas, including CO, H₂ and CO₂.

7. A Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived from biogenic carbon materials obtained solely from processed municipal solid wastes, the fuel derived from a process comprising the steps of:

a) in a feedstock processing step, removing non-biogenic derived carbon materials and non-carbonaceous materials from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from plant derived carbon (biogenic) as well as non-biogenic derived carbon (fossil based) materials, to produce a processed MSW feedstock that contains a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbons along with other non-carbonaceous materials from the municipal solid wastes;

b) in a power generation process, converting some or all of the biogenic carbon content material into biogenic power with reduced lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and higher renewable energy credits; and

c) converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in a bio-refinery while maintaining the concentration of biogenic carbon up to 90% from the processed MSW feedstock.

8. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 7 wherein the feedstock processing step includes at least two processing steps.

9. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 7 wherein, in the feedstock processing step, more than about 10% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are purposefully removed from the municipal solid wastes.

10. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 7 wherein, in the feedstock processing step, up to about 80% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed from the municipal solid wastes.

11. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 7 wherein the concentration of biogenic carbon in the Fisher-Tropsch liquids includes up to about 60% biogenic carbon.

12. The Fisher-Tropsch liquid fuel derived by the process according to claim 7 wherein the step of converting the processed feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in the bio-refinery, further comprises:

converting the biogenic carbon into biogenic syngas in a gasification island (GI) by a combination of steam reforming, sub-stoichiometric carbon oxidation and hydrocarbon reformation while producing syngas, including CO, H₂ and CO₂.

13. A process for producing biogenic carbon content Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) liquids derived from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from plant derived carbon (biogenic) as well as non-biogenic derived carbon (fossil based) materials, the process comprising the steps of:

a) converting in a bio-refinery processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids that contain a higher concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon;

the converting step being comprised of three stages carried out in a gasification island;

1) steam reforming the processed feedstock in a steam reformer configured to dry, volatilize and gasify the processed feedstock to produce syngas containing CO, H₂, H₂O and CO₂, unreacted char, inert solids and unreacted hydrocarbons;

2) further gasifying in a sub-stoichiometric carbon oxidation unit configured to gasify the unreacted char from the steam reformer; and

3) hydrocarbon reforming in a hydrocarbon reforming unit configured to convert any remaining char, hydrocarbons and tars into syngas;

b) conditioning the syngas in a syngas conditioning unit configured to receive the syngas from the gasification island and remove contaminants, remove/recover CO₂ and provide a biogenic CO₂ recycle stream for recycling biogenic CO₂ to the gasification island for biogenic carbon conservation and to adjust the H₂;

CO₂ ratio in the syngas to a predetermined value;

c) converting the syngas into Fisher-Tropsch liquids in one or more F-T reactors;

d) separating the F-T liquids in a separation system into heavy F-T liquids (HFTL) and medium F-T liquids (MFTL); and

e) upgrading the separated F-T liquids in an upgrading system comprising a hydrotreating/hydrocracking reactor and fractionation system configured to upgrade the HFTL and MFTL into a transportation fuel.