PROCESS FOR LIQUEFYING A CELLULOSIC MATERIAL AND ITS PRODUCTS

• US 20110277378A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shell USA Incorporated (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: LANGE, Jean-Paul, VON HEBEL, Klaas Lambertus
• Granted Patent: US 9,365,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 44/436
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/002 in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/065 in the presence of a solvent
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1014 of vegetal origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/208 Sediments, e.g. bottom sediment and water or BSW
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/44 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/02 Gasoline
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/04 Diesel oil
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/08 Jet fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 3/50 in the presence of hydrogen, hydrogen donors or hydrogen generating compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/544 Extraction for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 using bio-feedstock

Abstract

A process for liquefying a cellulosic material to produce a liquefied product from cellulosic material is provided. Products obtained from such process and use of such products to prepare biofuels is also provided.

Claims

1. A process for liquefying a cellulosic material to produce a liquefied product, which process comprises contacting the cellulosic material simultaneously with

(a) an acid catalyst;

(b) a solvent mixture containing water and a co-solvent, which co-solvent comprises one or more polar solvents and which co-solvent is present in an amount of more than or equal to 10% by weight and less than or equal to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of water and co-solvent;

(c) a hydrogenation catalyst; and

(d) a source of hydrogen.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the co-solvent is a solvent having a polarity of log P less than +1.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the co-solvent comprises at least part of the liquefied product, which part of the liquefied product comprises one or more polar solvents.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid catalyst is a mineral or organic acid having a pKa in water below 3.75.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrogenation catalyst is a homogeneous catalyst or a heterogeneous catalyst.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the source of hydrogen is a hydrogen gas that is contacted with the cellulosic material in a countercurrent manner.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the co-solvent comprises at least part of the liquefied product, which part of the liquefied product comprises one or more polar solvents.

8. A product comprising:

(a) from 20 to 80 wt % of a monomeric fraction containing one or more monomeric compounds having a molecular weight (Mw) of less than or equal to 250 Dalton (Da);

(b) from 20 to 80 wt % of an oligomeric fraction containing one or more oligomeric compounds having a molecular weight (Mw) of more than 250 Dalton (Da),

wherein the percentage of saturated carbon atoms in the oligomeric fraction is more than or equal to 35%, based on the total amount of carbon atoms present.

9. The product of claim 8 wherein the one or more oligomeric compounds are liquid at ambient temperature (20°

C.) and pressure (1 bar absolute).

10. The product of claim 9 further comprising from 0 wt % to 25 wt % of tar.

11. The product of claim 8 wherein the weight ratio of the monomeric compound(s) to the oligomeric compound(s) lies in the range from 4:

1 to 1;

4.

12. The product of claim 8 wherein the product comprises tetrahydropyranic monomers and/or oligomers.

13. A process for producing a biofuel component from a cellulosic material, which process comprises

(a) contacting the cellulosic material simultaneously with an acid catalyst, a solvent mixture containing water and a co-solvent comprising one or more polar solvents, a hydrogenation catalyst and a source of hydrogen to produce a liquefied product;

(b) obtaining one or more monomeric compounds and/or one or more oligomeric compounds from the liquefied product obtained in step a) to produce a second product comprising one or more monomeric compounds and/or one or more oligomeric compounds;

(c) hydrodeoxygenating and/or cracking at least a part of the second product obtained in step b) to produce a fuel component and/or fuel component precursor;

(d) blending and/or processing the fuel component and/or the fuel component precursor to a biofuel.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the second product obtained in step b) comprises one or more tetrahydropyranic monomers and/or oligomers.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein the biofuel is a biodiesel, a biokerosine or a biogasoline.

16. A biofuel obtainable by a process of claim 13.

17. A biofuel comprising one or more tetrahydropyranic monomers and/or oligomers.