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

• US 10,704,002 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• 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:
  US16/458,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20190322954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 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 Fischer-Tropsch process C10G2/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol preparation of alcohols in general C07C29/00
• 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 process for producing a transportation fuel or fuel additive derived from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from biogenic derived carbon materials and non-biogenic derived carbon materials, the process comprising the steps of:

a) in a feedstock processing step, producing a processed MSW feedstock that contains a higher concentration of biogenic carbon materials than non-biogenic carbon materials;

b) converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in a bio-refinery while maintaining a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon; and

c) upgrading the Fischer-Tropsch liquids into a transportation fuel or fuel additive while maintaining a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the step of converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in the bio-refinery, further comprises:

converting the processed MSW feedstock in a gasification island.

3. The process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

in a power generation process, converting at least a portion of the biogenic carbon material into biogenic carbon derived power.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein in the feedstock processing step, more than 10% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed.

5. The process according to claim 1 wherein in the feedstock processing step, up to 80% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein in the feedstock processing step, between about 10% and 90% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed.

7. The process according to claim 1, 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 remaining char, hydrocarbons and tars into syngas.

8. The process according to claim 7, further comprising:

conditioning the syngas in a syngas conditioning unit configured to receive the syngas from the gasification island and remove contaminants, remove or recover CO₂ and provide a 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;

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

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

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.

9. A process for producing Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) liquids derived from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from biogenic derived carbon materials and non-biogenic derived carbon materials, the process comprising the steps of:

a) in a feedstock processing step, producing a processed MSW feedstock that contains a higher concentration of biogenic carbon materials than non-biogenic carbon materials; and

b) converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in a bio-refinery while maintaining a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the converting step is 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 remaining char, hydrocarbons and tars into syngas.

11. The process according to claim 10, further comprising:

conditioning the syngas in a syngas conditioning unit configured to receive the syngas from the gasification island and remove contaminants, remove or recover CO₂ and provide a 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; and

converting the syngas into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in one or more F-T reactors.

12. The process according to claim 9 wherein in the feedstock processing step, more than 10% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed.

13. The process according to claim 9 wherein in the feedstock processing step, up to 80% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed.

14. The process according to claim 9 wherein in the feedstock processing step, between about 10% and 90% of the non-biogenic derived carbon materials are removed.

15. The process according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

in a power generation process, converting at least a portion of the biogenic carbon material into biogenic carbon derived power.

16. A process for producing Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) liquids derived from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from biogenic derived carbon materials and non-biogenic derived carbon materials, the process comprising:

providing to a bio-refinery, a processed MSW feedstock that contains a higher concentration of biogenic carbon materials than non-biogenic carbon materials; and

converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) liquids in the bio-refinery while maintaining a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the converting step is comprised of three stages carried out in a gasification island:

1) steam reforming the processed MSW feedstock in a steam reformer configured to dry, volatilize and gasify the processed MSW 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 remaining char, hydrocarbons and tars into syngas.

18. The process according to claim 17, further comprising:

conditioning the syngas in a syngas conditioning unit configured to receive the syngas from the gasification island and remove contaminants, remove or recover CO₂ and provide a 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; and

converting the syngas into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in one or more F-T reactors.

19. The process according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

in a power generation process, converting at least a portion of the biogenic carbon material into biogenic carbon derived power.

20. A process for producing a transportation fuel or fuel additive derived from municipal solid wastes (MSW) that contain materials that are produced from biogenic derived carbon materials and non-biogenic derived carbon materials, the process comprising the steps of:

a) providing to a bio-refinery, a processed MSW feedstock that contains a higher concentration of biogenic carbon materials than non-biogenic carbon materials;

b) converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in the bio-refinery while maintaining a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon;

and c) upgrading the Fischer-Tropsch liquids into a transportation fuel or fuel additive while maintaining a greater concentration of biogenic carbon than non-biogenic carbon.

21. The process according to claim 20 wherein the step of converting the processed MSW feedstock into Fischer-Tropsch liquids in the bio-refinery, further comprises:

converting the processed MSW feedstock in a gasification island.

22. The process according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

in a power generation process, converting at least a portion of the biogenic carbon material into biogenic carbon derived power.

23. The process according to claim 20, the converting step being comprised of three stages carried out in a gasification island:

1) steam reforming the processed MSW feedstock in a steam reformer configured to dry, volatilize and gasify the processed MSW 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 remaining char, hydrocarbons and tars into syngas.

24. The process according to claim 23, further comprising:

conditioning the syngas in a syngas conditioning unit configured to receive the syngas from the gasification island and remove contaminants, remove or recover CO₂ and provide a 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;

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

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

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.