METHOD FOR PRODUCING RENEWABLE FUELS

• US 20130164807A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iogen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Iogen Bio-Products Corporation (Novozymes)
• Inventors: Foody, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,753,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/166
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0211 containing a non-catalytic reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0216 containing a non-catalytic steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0222 containing a non-catalytic carbon dioxide reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/065 using hydrotreating, e.g. hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurisation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/34 by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/36 using oxygen or mixtures containing oxygen as gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 5/02 by hydrogenation simultaneous hydrogenation and dehydrogenation C07C5/52
• 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 45/02 to eliminate hetero atoms without changing the skeleton of the hydrocarbon involved and without cracking into lower boiling hydrocarbons; Hydrofinishing
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 45/44 Hydrogenation of the aromatic hydrocarbons
• 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: C10G 65/02 plural serial stages only
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 65/12 including cracking steps and other hydrotreatment steps
• 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 2290/26 Composting, fermenting or anaerobic digestion fuel components or materials from which fuels are prepared
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/08 Production of synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/10 : Working-up natural gas or synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/101 : Removal of contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/00 : Preparation of hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 : acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/023 : Methane
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 : Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• 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 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 : using renewable energy

Abstract

According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen or alternatively, the renewable hydrogen can be added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate the hydrocarbons. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.

Claims

1. A method of transforming waste organic material to produce a liquid transportation or heating fuel comprising:

(a) subjecting waste organic material to anaerobic digestion by microorganisms in a biogas production facility that incorporates apparatus to collect the microbially generated biogas;

(b) collecting an amount of crude biogas from the biogas production facility;

(c) removing impurities from the crude biogas to yield a combustible fluid feedstock;

(d) introducing a first amount of the combustible fluid feedstock from step (b) or (c) to apparatus for delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to fuel production facility;

(e) generating numerical information relating to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock or crude biogas comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i) the type of renewable fuel that it is;

(ii) year in which the combustible fluid feedstock was produced;

(iii) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(iv) a serial number associated with a batch of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(f) withdrawing for use at a fuel production facility a second amount of combustible fluid feedstock approximately equal to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock;

(g) processing at the fuel production facility the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock to produce renewable hydrogen; and

(h) producing a third amount of liquid transportation or heating fuel by a process that comprises combining renewable hydrogen derived from the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock with a desulfurized, crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a reactor under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biogas production facility is a landfill, a waste treatment facility or a manure digestion facility.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reactor is a hydrogenation reactor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reactor is a hydrocracker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid transportation or heating fuel is selected from gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a liquid transportation fuel is produced in step (h).

7. A method of producing a transportation or heating fuel comprising:

(a) causing a first amount of combustible fluid feedstock to be introduced to apparatus for delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to a fuel production facility, said first amount of combustible fluid feedstock being derived from a crude biogas that was generated by anaerobic digestion and from which impurities were removed following collection from a biogas production facility;

(b) withdrawing for use at a fuel production facility, a second amount of combustible fluid feedstock approximately equal to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock;

(c) processing at the fuel production facility the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock to produce renewable hydrogen;

(d) producing a third amount of liquid transportation or heating fuel by a process that comprises combining renewable hydrogen derived from the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock with a desulfurized, crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a reactor under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen; and

(e) receiving and storing numerical information relating to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock or crude biogas comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i) the type of renewable fuel that it is;

(ii) year in which the combustible fluid feedstock was produced;

(iii) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(iv) serial number associated with a batch of the combustible fluid feedstock.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the biogas production facility is a landfill, a waste treatment facility or a manure digestion facility.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the reactor is a hydrogenation reactor.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the reactor is a hydrocracker.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the liquid transportation or heating fuel is selected from gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein a liquid transportation fuel is produced in step (d).

13. A method of producing a combustible fluid feedstock for use in producing a transportation or heating fuel, said method comprising:

(a) subjecting waste organic material to anaerobic digestion by microorganisms in a biogas production facility that incorporates apparatus to collect the microbially generated biogas;

(b) collecting an amount of crude biogas from the biogas production facility;

(c) removing impurities from the crude biogas to yield a combustible fluid feedstock;

(d) generating numerical information relating to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock or crude biogas comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i) the type of renewable fuel that it is;

(ii) year in which the combustible fluid feedstock was produced;

(iii) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(iv) a serial number associated with a batch of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(e) introducing a first amount of combustible fluid feedstock from step (b) or (c) to apparatus for delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to fuel production facility; and

(f) causing a fuel production facility to use combustible fluid feedstock in a process for producing transportation or heating fuel, said process comprising;

(i′

) withdrawing for use at a fuel production facility a second amount of combustible fluid feedstock from the apparatus approximately equal to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock;

(ii′

) processing the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock to produce renewable hydrogen; and

(iii′

) combining renewable hydrogen derived from the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock with a desulfurized, crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a reactor under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the biogas production facility is a landfill, a waste treatment facility or a manure digestion facility.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the reactor is a hydrogenation reactor.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the reactor is a hydrocracker.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the transportation or heating fuel is selected from gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein in step (f) the fuel production facility is a transportation fuel production facility and wherein the combustible fluid feedstock is for use in the production of a transportation fuel.

19. A method of producing a transportation or heating fuel comprising:

(a) receiving combustible fluid feedstock in accordance with an arrangement with a producer or supplier of combustible fluid feedstock derived from crude biogas, said arrangement relating to the use of combustible fluid feedstock in a process for producing liquid transportation or heating fuel;

(b) producing renewable hydrogen from the received combustible fluid feedstock;

(c) producing liquid transportation or heating fuel in a process comprising combining renewable hydrogen with crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbons under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbons;

(d) generating or receiving numerical information relating to a product selected from (i) combustible fluid feedstock derived from biogas;

(ii) renewable hydrogen;

(iii) a transportation or heating fuel comprising renewable hydrogen; and

(iv) crude biogas, the numerical information comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i′

) the type of product that is made by a producer or importer of the product;

(ii′

) year in which the product was produced;

(iii′

) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the product; and

(iv′

) a serial number associated with a batch of the product; and

(e) providing the numerical information generated or received in step (d) from a producer or purchaser of the product to a government regulatory agency.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the product is combustible fluid feedstock derived from biogas or crude biogas.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the numerical information is a RIN.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating an LCFS credit relating to the product of step (d).

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the renewable hydrogen is combined with the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a hydrocracker operation or reactor.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein a liquid transportation fuel is produced in step (c).

25. A method of producing a combustible fluid feedstock for use in producing a transportation or heating fuel, said method comprising:

(a) producing a combustible fluid feedstock by a process comprising;

(i) converting waste organic material to crude biogas using microorganisms;

(ii) collecting an amount of crude biogas using an apparatus; and

(ii) removing impurities from the crude biogas to yield a combustible fluid feedstock;

(b) arranging for a fuel production facility to receive combustible fluid feedstock to use in a process for making liquid transportation or heating fuel, wherein said process comprises combining renewable hydrogen derived from the combustible fluid feedstock with crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbons under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbons;

(c) generating numerical information relating to the combustible fluid feedstock or crude biogas, said information comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i′

) the type of renewable fuel that it is;

(ii′

) year in which the combustible fluid feedstock was produced;

(iii′

) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(iv′

) a serial number associated with a batch of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(d) providing the numerical information relating to the combustible fluid feedstock or crude biogas to a government regulatory agency and to the fuel production facility in step (b).

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbons are desulfurized.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the numerical information is a RIN.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising generating an LCFS credit relating to the combustible fluid feedstock.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the renewable hydrogen is combined with the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a hydrocracker operation or reactor.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein in step (b) the fuel production facility is a transportation fuel production facility that receives the combustible fluid feedstock for use in making liquid transportation fuel.

31. A method for generating a renewable fuel credit associated with biogas produced from waste organic material, said method comprising:

(a) producing biogas derived combustible fluid feedstock from biogas;

(b) arranging for a fuel production facility to buy combustible fluid feedstock to make renewable hydrogen for use in a process for making liquid transportation or heating fuel, wherein said process comprises combining renewable hydrogen with crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbons to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbons;

(c) generating a RIN associated with the biogas;

(d) introducing a first amount of the biogas derived combustible fluid feedstock to apparatus for delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to a fuel production facility; and

(e) transferring a RIN associated with biogas to a purchaser of the biogas.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein in step (b) the fuel production facility is a transportation fuel production facility that buys the combustible fluid feedstock for use in making liquid transportation fuel.

33. A method of transforming waste organic material to produce a liquid transportation or heating fuel comprising:

(a) subjecting waste organic material to anaerobic digestion by microorganisms in a biogas production facility that incorporates apparatus to collect the microbially generated biogas;

(b) collecting an amount of crude biogas from the biogas production facility;

(c) removing impurities from the crude biogas to yield a combustible fluid feedstock;

(d) introducing a first amount of the combustible fluid feedstock from step (b) or (c) to apparatus for delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to fuel production facility;

(e) generating or receiving numerical information relating to a product selected from (i) combustible fluid feedstock derived from crude biogas;

(ii) renewable hydrogen;

(iii) a transportation or heating fuel comprising renewable hydrogen;

or (iv) crude biogas, the numerical information comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i′

) the type of product that is made by the producer or importer of the product;

(ii′

) year in which the product was produced;

(iii′

) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the product; and

(iv′

) a serial number associated with a batch of the product;

(f) withdrawing for use at a fuel production facility a second amount of combustible fluid feedstock approximately equal to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock;

(g) processing at the fuel production facility the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock to produce renewable hydrogen;

(h) producing a third amount of liquid transportation or heating fuel by a process that comprises combining renewable hydrogen derived from the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock with a crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon; and

(i) providing the numerical information generated or received in step (e) to a government regulatory agency.

34. The process of claim 33, wherein the renewable hydrogen is combined with the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a reactor under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen.

35. The process of claim 34, wherein the reactor is a hydrotreater.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the transportation or heating fuel is selected from gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein a liquid transportation fuel is produced in step (h).

38. A method of producing a transportation or heating fuel comprising:

(a) causing a first amount of combustible fluid feedstock to be introduced to apparatus capable of delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to a fuel production facility,

said first amount of combustible fluid feedstock being derived from a crude biogas from which impurities were removed following collection from a biogas production facility;

(b) generating or receiving numerical information relating to a product selected from (i) combustible fluid feedstock derived from crude biogas;

(ii) renewable hydrogen;

(iii) a transportation or heating fuel comprising renewable hydrogen; and

(iv) crude biogas, the numerical information comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i′

) the type of product that is made by a producer or importer of the product;

(ii′

) year in which the product was produced;

(iii′

) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the product; and

(iv′

) a serial number associated with a batch of the product;

(c) withdrawing for use at a fuel production facility, a second amount of combustible fluid feedstock approximately equal to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock;

(d) processing at the fuel production facility the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock to produce renewable hydrogen;

(e) producing a third amount of liquid transportation or heating fuel by a process that comprises combining renewable hydrogen derived from the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock with a crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon; and

(f) providing numerical information generated or received in step (b) to a government regulatory agency.

39. The process of claim 38, wherein the renewable hydrogen is combined with the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a reactor under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen.

40. The process of claim 38, wherein the reactor is a hydrocracker.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the transportation or heating fuel is selected from gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the product in step (b) is combustible fluid feedstock derived from biogas or crude biogas.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein a liquid transportation fuel is produced in step (e).

44. A method of producing a combustible fluid feedstock for use in producing a partially renewable transportation or heating fuel, said method comprising:

(a) producing or receiving combustible fluid feedstock derived from biogas that has been produced from waste organic material;

(b) introducing a first amount of the combustible fluid feedstock from step (a) to apparatus for delivering a combustible fluid feedstock to fuel production facility; and

(c) causing a fuel production facility to use combustible fluid feedstock in a process that produces transportation or heating fuel from a crude oil derived hydrocarbon, said process comprising;

withdrawing a second amount of combustible fluid feedstock from the apparatus approximately equal to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock;

(d) generating numerical information relating to the first amount of combustible fluid feedstock comprising information representing at least 3 parameters selected from;

(i) the type of renewable fuel that it is;

(ii) year in which the combustible fluid feedstock was produced;

(iii) a registration number associated with the producer or importer of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(iv) a serial number associated with a batch of the combustible fluid feedstock; and

(e) providing the numerical information relating to the first amount of combustible fluid to a government regulatory agency and a purchaser of the combustible fluid feedstock.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the transportation or heating fuel is selected from gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the combustible fluid feedstock in step (a) is produced by a biogas production facility selected from a landfill, a waste treatment facility or a manure digestion facility.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the fuel production facility processes the second amount of combustible fluid feedstock to produce renewable hydrogen.

48. The process of claim 44, wherein the renewable hydrogen is combined with the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon in a reactor under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen.

49. The process of claim 48, wherein the reactor is a hydrocracker.

50. The process of claim 48, wherein the crude oil derived liquid hydrocarbon is desulfurized.

51. The method of claim 44, wherein the numerical information is a RIN.

52. The process of claim 44, further comprising generating an LCFS credit.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein in step (c) the fuel production facility is a transportation fuel production facility that uses the combustible fluid feedstock for making liquid transportation fuel.