Process for converting cellulosic material into liquid hydrocarbons
First Claim
1. A process for producing acetic acid from cellulosic material comprising the steps of:
- heating the cellulosic material and introducing steam to crack the material at a temperature of between 650 and 900°
C. thereby producing a gas stream;
cleaning the gas stream to remove fly ash and carbon thereby producing a cleaned gas stream;
separating the gases in the cleaned gas stream to remove the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases therefrom;
metering each of the hydrogen and the carbon monoxide in a predetermined ratio into a heated pressure vessel with a catalyst to form a methanol;
liquefying the methanol and passing it into a second heated pressure vessel with a catalyst and carbon monoxide to form acetic acid; and
liquefying the acetic acid and other material present and removing the acetic acid from the any water, other hydrocarbons and purifying the stream;
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for the production of oxygenated C2 hydrocarbons from cellulose is disclosed. The input cellulose waste is gasified using steam in the absence of air and the primary gaseous products of carbon monoxide and hydrogen are subjected to heat, pressure, and catalysts to form methyl alcohol. Carbon monoxide is added to the methyl alcohol and further subjected to heat, pressure and catalysts to form acetic acid. The acetic acid is purified using a distillation tower, and removed for sale. Output production is increased by adding further carbon monoxide and hydrogen from burners used to heat the gasifiers. Further carbon monoxide and hydrogen are also produced by steam gasification of the carbon residue to promote a water/gas shift. These gases are fed into the gas stream produced by the gasification of cellulose, and provide more feedstock for the reactions. The three input gas streams arising from: 1) the steam gasification of cellulose; 2) the water/gas shift in the carbon reactor; and 3) the sub-stoichiometic oxygen burning of input burner gas to heat both retorts, maximize the output chemical production while reducing the consumption of energy needed for processing the cellulose and the carbon.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A process for producing acetic acid from cellulosic material comprising the steps of:
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heating the cellulosic material and introducing steam to crack the material at a temperature of between 650 and 900°
C. thereby producing a gas stream;
cleaning the gas stream to remove fly ash and carbon thereby producing a cleaned gas stream;
separating the gases in the cleaned gas stream to remove the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases therefrom;
metering each of the hydrogen and the carbon monoxide in a predetermined ratio into a heated pressure vessel with a catalyst to form a methanol;
liquefying the methanol and passing it into a second heated pressure vessel with a catalyst and carbon monoxide to form acetic acid; and
liquefying the acetic acid and other material present and removing the acetic acid from the any water, other hydrocarbons and purifying the stream;
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 7, 8)
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4. A process for producing acetic acid from cellulosic material comprising the further enhancement of;
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heating the carbon and fly ash removed from the gasification of the cellulosic material in the presence of steam to produce gases;
equalizing the pressure of the gases emerging from the carbon gasification using a pressure equalizer;
directing the gases to a molecular sieve to separate the carbon monoxide from the hydrogen so they can be mixed in the correct ratios to form an alcohol in the first pressure.
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5. A process for producing acetic acid from cellulosic material comprising the further enhancement of;
providing oxygen to both burners which supply indirect heating to the gasifiers using molecular sieves to remove nitrogen.
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6. A process for producing acetic acid from cellulosic material comprising the further enhancement of:
Utilising the cooled gases comprised of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which are produced in the burners used to indirectly heat the gasifiers to increase the input of gases into the first pressure vessel to make an alcohol.
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9. A process for producing liquid hydrocarbon from cellulosic material comprising the steps of:
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heating the cellulosic material and introducing steam to crack the material at a temperature of between 650 and 900°
C. thereby producing a gas stream;
cleaning the gas stream to remove fly ash and carbon thereby producing a cleaned gas stream;
separating the gases in the cleaned gas stream to remove the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases therefrom;
metering each of the hydrogen and the carbon monoxide in a predetermined ratio into a heated pressure vessel with a catalyst to form a liquid hydrocarbon. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification