System and method for producing transportation fuels from waste plastic and biomass

• US 7,834,226 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Miller, Stephen Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Toomer; Cephia D
• Application Number:
  US11/955,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20090151233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 585/240, 585/241
• US Class Current: 585/240
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/002 in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/10 from rubber or rubber waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1003 Waste materials
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1011 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1014 of vegetal origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1022 Fischer-Tropsch products
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 3/50 in the presence of hydrogen, hydrogen donors or hydrogen generating compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 45/08 in combination with chromium, molybdenum, or tungsten metals, or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 45/58 to change the structural skeleton of some of the hydrocarbon content without cracking the other hydrocarbons present, e.g. lowering pour point; Selective hydrocracking of normal paraffins C10G32/00 takes precedence; improving or increasing the octane number or aromatic content of naphtha C10G35/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 65/043 at least one step being a change in the structural skeleton
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 65/08 at least one step being a hydrogenation of the aromatic hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 69/02 plural serial stages only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 using bio-feedstock

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to methods and systems for producing biofuels via biomass, waste plastic, and/or Fischer-Tropsch product feeds. Such methods and systems are an improvement over the existing art at least in that they are feed-tolerant (i.e., allow for variability) and provide an economy of scale, while typically retaining the environmental benefits associated with such processing of such feeds.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

a) pyrolyzing biomass concurrently with a second material selected from the group consisting of waste plastic, Fischer-Tropsch wax, and combinations thereof;

so as to yield pyrolysis oil;

b) separating the pyrolysis oil into at least two component fractions according to boiling range;

c) hydrotreating at least one of the at least two component fractions so as to yield at least one hydrotreated intermediate; and

d) catalytically-isomerizing the at least one hydrotreated intermediate so as to yield at least one isomerized product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pyrolyzing is carried out at a temperature of from about 450°

C. to about 650°

C.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass comprises material selected from the group consisting of cellulosic biomass, triglyceride-containing biological oils, lignin, hemicellulose, starch, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second material is waste plastic, and wherein said waste plastic comprises at least about 75 wt. % polyolefins.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative amounts of biomass and second material being concurrently pyrolyzed can be varied.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the separating step comprises distillation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two component fractions comprise a 650°

F.−

fraction and a 650°

F.+ fraction.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrotreating step comprises use of a supported active catalyst component selected from the group consisting of Co—

Mo Ni—

Mo, noble metals, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalytically-isomerizing step is done using a supported noble metal isomerization catalyst.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one isomerized product yielded in the step of catalytically-isomerizing is a transportation biofuel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transportation biofuel is a biodiesel.