Biomass pretreatment for fast pyrolysis to liquids

• US 8,236,173 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MARD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kior Inc.
• Inventors: Bartek, Robert, Brady, Michael, Stamires, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCAIG, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/045,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 208/400, 208404-405, 585/469, 585/638, 585/733
• US Class Current: 208/400
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 49/16 with moving solid heat-carriers in divided form
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/08 Non-mechanical pretreatment of the charge C10L9/00 takes precedence, e.g. desulfurization
• CPC Class Codes: C10C 5/00 Production of pyroligneous acid distillation of wood, dry distillation of organic wastecarbonisation of wood C10B
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/08 with moving catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1011 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• 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 30/20 using bio-feedstock

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and compositions for preparing a solid biomass for fast pyrolysis. The method includes contacting the solid biomass with an inorganic material present in an effective amount for increasing fast pyrolysis yield of an organic liquid product (e.g., bio-oil). In various embodiments, the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum sulfate, aluminum nitrate, aluminum chloride, aluminum hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method for pretreating a solid biomass for pyrolysis, comprising contacting the solid biomass with an inorganic material present in an effective amount for increasing pyrolysis yield of an organic liquid product, wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum sulfate, ammonium hydroxide, and any combination of the foregoing, thereby forming a pre-treated biomass comprising the inorganic material in the effective amount.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inorganic material is present between about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt % in the pre-treated biomass.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising contacting the pre-treated biomass with a heat carrier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the heat carrier comprises an inert material, a catalytic material, a regenerated catalytic material, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the inert material comprises silica sand, a refractory transition metal oxide, a refractory clay, a calcined mixed metal oxide, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

6. A method for producing an organic liquid product from a solid biomass, the method comprising:

(i) contacting the solid biomass with an inorganic material present in an effective amount for increasing pyrolysis yield of an organic liquid product to form a pre-treated biomass comprising the inorganic material in the effective amount, wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum sulfate, ammonium hydroxide, and any combination of the foregoing; and

(ii) subjecting the solid pre-treated biomass to a pyrolysis reaction in the presence of the inorganic material, to produce the organic liquid product.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the inorganic material is aluminum sulfate.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the inorganic material is present between about 0.1 wt % to about 4 wt % in the pre-treated biomass.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein contacting the solid biomass in step (i) further comprises contacting the solid biomass with a heat carrier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the heat carrier comprises an inert material, a catalytic material, a regenerated catalytic material, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inert material comprises silica sand, a refractory transition metal oxide, a refractory clay, a calcined mixed metal oxide, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the pyrolysis reaction is conducted at between about 400°

C. and about 600°

C.

13. A composition for pyrolysis comprising a solid biomass and an inorganic material, wherein the inorganic material is present at between about 0.1 wt % and about 4 wt %, and wherein at least a portion of the inorganic material is accessible to at least a portion of the solid biomass, wherein the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum sulfate, ammonium hydroxide, and any combination of the foregoing.

14. The composition of claim 13, wherein the inorganic material is aluminum sulfate.

15. The composition of claim 13, wherein the inorganic material is ammonium hydroxide.

16. The composition of claim 13 further comprising a heat carrier.

17. The composition of claim 16, wherein the heat carrier comprises an inert material, a catalytic material, a regenerated catalytic material, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

18. The composition of claim 17, wherein the inert material comprises silica sand, a refractory transition metal oxide, a refractory clay, a calcined mixed metal oxide, or a combination of any two or more thereof.