PROCESS FOR USING BIOGENIC CARBON DIOXIDE DERIVED FROM NON-FOSSIL ORGANIC MATERIAL

• US 20170158503A1
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iogen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Iogen Corporation
• Inventors: Foody, Patrick J., Foody, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/001 Processes specially adapted for distillation or rectification of fermented solutions
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0244 the reforming step being an autothermal reforming step, e.g. secondary reforming processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/025 containing a partial oxidation step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/043 Regenerative adsorption process in two or more beds, one for adsorption, the other for regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/061 Methanol production
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/062 Hydrocarbon production, e.g. Fischer-Tropsch process
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0872 Methods of cooling
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/148 involving a recycle stream to the feed of the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/38 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/48 followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/50 Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification C01B3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/50 Carbon dioxide
• 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 2/50 : from carbon dioxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/02 : Gasoline
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 : essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/023 : for spark ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 : essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/06 : for spark ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/10 : Recycling of a stream within the process or apparatus to reuse elsewhere therein
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/26 : Composting, fermenting or anaerobic digestion fuel components or materials from which fuels are prepared
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/42 : Fischer-Tropsch steps
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/542 : Adsorption of 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: C10L 2290/545 : Washing, scrubbing, stripping, scavenging for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/00 : Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/08 : Production of synthetic natural gas
• CPC Class Codes: C12F 3/10 : from distillery slops
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/00 : Preparation of hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/023 : Methane
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 : Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/065 : with microorganisms other than yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 : substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 : Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/54 : Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• 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 20/10 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a process for forming a biogenic carbon-based fuel or a fuel intermediate from biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The hydrogen is sourced from a process that produces hydrogen and fossil carbon dioxide from a fossil-fuel hydrocarbon and separates the fossil carbon dioxide from the hydrogen. The process may further comprise carrying out or arranging for one or more parties to carry out at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the GHG emissions of the biogenic carbon-based fuel, or a fuel made from the fuel intermediate, of at least 20% relative to a gasoline baseline. In various embodiments this includes (a) introducing the fossil carbon dioxide underground, and/or (b) using a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical and energy product produced from the non-fossil organic material to displace the use or production of a corresponding fossil-based product.

Claims

1. A process for producing a fuel or fuel intermediate containing carbon derived from non-fossil organic material comprising:

(i) providing biogenic carbon dioxide that is sourced from a production process comprising at least one of a step of fermentation and a thermal process, said production process producing a first product derived from the non-fossil organic material, said first product selected from;

(a) an energy product;

(b) a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical product, a fuel and a fuel intermediate; and

(c) a combination thereof, wherein the biogenic carbon dioxide is generated during the production process;

(ii) providing a stream enriched in hydrogen that is sourced from a hydrogen production process, the hydrogen production process including a step of removing fossil carbon dioxide from a stream including hydrogen to provide the steam enriched in hydrogen;

(iii) converting the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen from the enriched hydrogen stream to a second product, said second product comprising at least one of a biogenic carbon-based fuel and a biogenic carbon-based fuel intermediate; and

(iv) carrying out or arranging for one or more parties to carry out at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the second product.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the biogenic carbon dioxide is sourced from a production process comprising a step of fermentation.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein said at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the second product is selected from:

(a) introducing at least a portion of fossil carbon dioxide recovered from one or more streams comprising fossil carbon dioxide generated during said hydrogen production process into an apparatus for transporting carbon dioxide, withdrawing carbon dioxide from said apparatus and introducing the withdrawn carbon dioxide underground, and

(b) using at least a portion of the first product to displace the use or production of a corresponding fossil-based product, wherein the first product is selected from the chemical product and the energy product.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the second product is methane or gasoline.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the second product is a liquid hydrocarbon produced by a Fischer Tropsch reaction.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second products comprises an alcohol.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the alcohol is methanol or ethanol.

8. The process of claim 3, wherein the first product produced from the non-fossil organic material is an energy product.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the energy product is at least one of steam, electricity, methane, and lignin.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein the energy product comprises at least one of steam and electricity generated by combusting lignin.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the first product comprises ethanol.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the second product comprises one of ethanol and acetic acid.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein converting the biogenic carbon dioxide and the hydrogen to the second product comprises at least one of a chemical and biological conversion.

14. The process according to claim 1, comprising generating or causing the generation of a fuel credit.

15. The process according to claim 1, comprising generating or causing the generation of a biofuel credit for each of the first and the second products, wherein each of the first and second products is ethanol.

16. The process according to claim 2, wherein the step of fermentation provides a fermentation product, and wherein the production process comprises:

distilling the fermentation product to provide an alcohol;

subjecting still bottoms from the distilling to an anaerobic digestion to provide crude biogas;

removing carbon dioxide from the crude biogas; and

generating or causing the generation of a biofuel credit for at least one of the purified biogas, the first product, and the second product, wherein each of the first and second products are produced by a process using at least one of heat and energy produced by combusting the purified biogas.

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the carbon dioxide removed from the crude biogas is introduced to step (iii).

18. The process according to claim 1, comprising providing data for authenticating at least one of a fuel and a fuel intermediate derived from the second product as eligible for a renewable fuel credit.

19. The process according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen production process comprises:

(a) converting fossil methane to carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reforming;

(b) converting at least a portion of the carbon monoxide by a water-gas shift reaction to carbon dioxide, thereby producing a stream comprising fossil carbon dioxide and the stream comprising hydrogen, and

(c) separating at least a portion of the hydrogen from the stream of step (b) from non-hydrogen components to produce the stream enriched in hydrogen and a stream comprising fossil carbon dioxide.

20. The process according to claim 19, comprising using heat from the reforming as process energy (a) in the production process of step (i);

(b) in one or more stages of a process comprising step (iii) to produce the biogenic carbon-based fuel, fuel intermediate or chemical product;

or (c) a combination thereof.

21. The process according to claim 19, wherein a chemical product is produced in step (iii), and wherein the chemical product is acetic acid, acetate, or a combination thereof.

22. The process according to claim 16, wherein converting the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen from the enriched hydrogen stream to a second product includes introducing said biogenic carbon dioxide and said enriched hydrogen stream into a fermentation bioreactor, and comprising feeding exhaust from the fermentation bioreactor to the anaerobic digestion to produce additional crude biogas.

23. The process according to claim 1, wherein the life cycle GHG emissions are at least 50% lower than a gasoline baseline as measured by EPA methodology.

24. The process according to claim 1, wherein the production process comprises:

pretreating a feedstock;

fermenting at least a portion of the pretreated feedstock to provide a fermentation product;

distilling the fermentation product to provide an alcohol;

subjecting still bottoms from the distilling to an anaerobic digestion to provide crude biogas;

converting the crude biogas to acetic acid; and

converting the acetic acid to ethanol.

25. The process according to claim 1, wherein the production process comprises:

pretreating a feedstock;

fermenting at least a portion of the pretreated feedstock to provide a fermentation product;

distilling the fermentation product to provide an alcohol;

converting a second portion of the feedstock to crude biogas;

converting the crude biogas to acetic acid; and

converting the acetic acid to ethanol.

26. The process according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of hydrogen to fossil carbon monoxide and fossil carbon dioxide in said enriched hydrogen stream is greater than 4:

1.

27. The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of converting the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen to a second product comprises a biological conversion of the biogenic carbon dioxide and the hydrogen to ethanol by a bacterium from the genus Clostridium.

28. The process according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of hydrogen to fossil carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in said stream comprising hydrogen is greater than 6:

1.

29. The process according to claim 1, comprising:

carrying out anaerobic digestion of a process stream comprising organic components to produce a crude biogas comprising biogenic carbon dioxide;

removing at least a portion of the biogenic carbon dioxide from the crude biogas to produce a stream comprising additional biogenic carbon dioxide; and

introducing said additional biogenic carbon dioxide removed from the crude biogas to step (iii), step (i) or both steps.

30. The process of claim 29, wherein the second product comprises ethanol, and comprising generating or causing the generation of a fuel credit for the ethanol.

31. The process according to claim 1, wherein the biogenic carbon dioxide provided in step (i) is processed to remove oxygen.

32. A process for producing a biogenic carbon-based fuel, fuel intermediate or chemical product comprising:

(i) providing biogenic carbon dioxide that is sourced from non-fossil organic material;

(ii) providing a stream comprising hydrogen by converting fossil methane to carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reforming;

(iii) fermenting the biogenic carbon dioxide from step (i) and hydrogen produced in step (ii) to a biogenic carbon-based fuel, fuel intermediate or chemical product;

(iv) carrying out anaerobic digestion on a stream produced from the process comprising organic components to produce biogas;

(v) obtaining a byproduct from step (iii) of fermenting; and

(vi) introducing the byproduct to the anaerobic digestion of step (iv).

33. The process of claim 32, wherein the byproduct is acetate, acetic acid, or a combination thereof.

34. The process of claim 32, wherein the byproduct is an exhaust gas stream obtained from a fermentor used in step (iii) of fermenting, which exhaust gas stream comprises at least one of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

35. The process of claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the carbon monoxide is converted by a water-gas shift reaction to carbon dioxide, thereby producing a stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen, and at least a portion of the hydrogen from the stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen is separated from non-hydrogen components to produce the stream comprising hydrogen.

36. The process of claim 32, wherein the biogenic carbon dioxide provided in step (i) is processed to remove oxygen.

37. A process for producing a fuel or fuel intermediate containing carbon derived from non-fossil organic material comprising:

(i) providing biogenic carbon dioxide that is sourced from a production process comprising at least one of a step of fermentation and a thermal process, said production process producing a first product derived from the non-fossil organic material, said first product selected from;

(a) an energy product;

(b) a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical product, a fuel and a fuel intermediate; and

(c) a combination thereof, wherein the biogenic carbon dioxide is generated during the production process;

(ii) providing a stream enriched in hydrogen that is sourced from a hydrogen production process, the hydrogen production process including a step of removing fossil carbon dioxide from a stream including hydrogen to provide the steam enriched in hydrogen;

(iii) converting the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen from the enriched hydrogen stream to a second product, said second product comprising acetic acid, acetate, or a combination thereof,

(iv) providing an aqueous stream comprising biogenic carbon originating from the production process in step (i) and converting it to acetic acid, acetate, or a combination thereof; and

(v) converting acetic acid, acetate, or combination thereof produced in at least one of steps (iii) and (iv) to ethanol.

38. The process according to claim 37, wherein the process produces a first product derived from non-fossil organic material, said first product selected from:

(a) an energy product;

(b) a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical product, a fuel and a fuel intermediate; and

(c) a combination thereof, wherein biogenic carbon dioxide is generated during the step of fermenting, the process comprising;

providing the biogenic carbon dioxide generated during the step of fermenting,

providing a stream enriched in hydrogen that is sourced from a hydrogen production process, the hydrogen production process including a step of removing fossil carbon dioxide from a stream including hydrogen to provide the steam enriched in hydrogen; and

converting the biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen from the enriched hydrogen stream to a second product, said second product comprising at least one of a biogenic carbon-based fuel and a biogenic carbon-based fuel intermediate; and

carrying out or arranging for one or more parties to carry out at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the second product.

39. The process according to claim 38, wherein the ethanol converted from acetic acid, acetate, or a combination thereof has life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are at least 50% lower than a gasoline baseline as measured by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methodology.

40. The process according to claim 39, wherein step (iv) comprises feeding the aqueous stream comprising biogenic carbon to an anaerobic digester to provide biogas, and combining the biogas with a stream enriched in hydrogen that is sourced from the hydrogen production process.