Process for producing a fuel and byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material

• US 9,505,668 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iogen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Iogen Corporation
• Inventors: Foody, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARSA, JAFAR F
• Application Number:
  US14/700,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20150315502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 518/700, 481/97.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 1/04 from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 1/045 Regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/004 by obtaining phenols from plant material or from animal material
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/68 Purification; separation; Use of additives, e.g. for stabilisation C07C37/004 and C07C37/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/72 by liquid-liquid treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/74 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 39/07 containing only methyl groups, e.g. cresols, xylenols
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 9/04 Methane production by treatment of sewage C02F11/04; natural gas, synthetic natural gas C10L3/06
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/32 with the use of catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0906 Physical processes, e.g. shredding, comminuting, chopping, sorting
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0959 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1618 Modification of synthesis gas composition, e.g. to meet some criteria
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1656 Conversion of synthesis gas to chemicals
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1662 to methane (SNG) production of synthetic natural gas C10L3/08
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1846 Partial oxidation, i.e. injection of air or oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/82 Gas withdrawal means
• 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 2200/0492 : Fischer-Tropsch products
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/04 : Gasification
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/42 : Fischer-Tropsch steps
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• 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 invention provides a process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material. The invention comprises providing a processed biomass feedstock and carrying out or causing one or more parties to subject the processed biomass feedstock to gasification to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid and recovering the cresylic acid or a portion thereof. The processed biomass feedstock may be co-gasified with coal. The hydrogen from the gasification may be recovered or the carbon monoxide and hydrogen may be further reacted to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate. One or more products obtained from the process are provided, for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel. The invention may allow for advantaged fuel credit generation.

Claims

1. A process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material, said process comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a processed biomass feedstock for use in gasification;

(ii) carrying out or causing one or more parties to carry out a gasification process comprising;

(a) subjecting the processed biomass feedstock to gasification to produce a product comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid, wherein the processed biomass feedstock is co-gasified with coal, and wherein the gasification is conducted in at least one Lurgi-type bed reactor;

(b) recovering at least a portion of the cresylic acid and providing a chemical product comprising the recovered cresylic acid;

(c) recovering the hydrogen produced or derived from step (ii)(a) or further reacting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate;

(d) providing one or more products obtained from step ii(c), for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel; and

(e) generating or causing generation of a renewable fuel credit.

2. A process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a processed biomass feedstock resulting from at least one extractive releasing processing step;

(ii) carrying out or causing one or more parties to carry out a gasification process comprising;

(a) subjecting the processed biomass feedstock to gasification to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid, said gasification conducted in at least one Lurgi-type reactor;

(b) recovering at least a portion of the cresylic acid and providing a chemical product comprising the recovered cresylic acid;

(c) recovering the hydrogen produced or derived from step (ii)(a) or further reacting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate;

(d) providing one or more products obtained from step (ii)(c), for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel; and

(e) generating or causing generation of a renewable fuel credit.

13. The process of claim 2, wherein the extractive releasing processing step removes at least a portion of hemicellulose from a biomass or biomass derived material.

3. A process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a processed biomass feedstock that is densified;

(ii) carrying out or causing one or more parties to carry out a gasification process comprising;

(a) subjecting the processed biomass feedstock of step (i) to gasification to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid, said gasification conducted in at least one Lurgi-type reactor;

(b) recovering at least a portion of the cresylic acid and providing a chemical product comprising the recovered cresylic acid;

(c) recovering the hydrogen produced or derived from step (ii)(a) or further reacting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate;

(d) providing one or more products obtained from step (ii)(c), for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel; and

(e) generating or causing generation of a renewable fuel credit.

4. A process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material, said process comprising the steps of:

(i) subjecting a processed biomass feedstock to gasification to produce a product comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid, wherein the processed biomass feedstock is co-gasified with coal, and wherein the gasification is conducted in at least one Lurgi-type reactor;

(ii) recovering at least a portion of the cresylic acid and providing a chemical product comprising the recovered cresylic acid;

(iii) recovering the hydrogen produced or derived from step (i) or further reacting or causing one or more parties to further react the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate;

(iv) providing one or more products obtained from step (iii), for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel; and

(v) generating or causing generation of a renewable fuel credit.

5. A process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material comprising the steps of:

(i) subjecting a processed biomass feedstock resulting from at least one extractive releasing process step to gasification to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid, said gasification conducted in at least one Lurgi-type reactor;

(ii) recovering at least a portion of the cresylic acid and providing a chemical product comprising the recovered cresylic acid;

(iii) recovering the hydrogen produced or derived from step (i) or further reacting or causing one or more parties to further react the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate;

(iv) providing one or more products obtained from step (iii), for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel; and

(v) generating or causing generation of a renewable fuel credit.

6. A process for producing a fuel and a byproduct from biomass or biomass derived material comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving a processed biomass feedstock that is densified;

(ii) subjecting the processed biomass feedstock that is densified to gasification to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen and cresylic acid, said gasification conducted in at least one Lurgi-type bed reactor;

(iii) recovering at least a portion of the cresylic acid and providing a chemical product comprising the recovered cresylic acid;

(iv) recovering the hydrogen produced or derived from step (ii) or further reacting or causing one or more parties to further react the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce a fuel or fuel intermediate;

(v) providing one or more products obtained from step (iv), for use as, or to produce a transportation or heating fuel; and

(vi) generating or causing generation of a renewable fuel credit.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the fuel or fuel intermediate is methane.

8. The process of claim 6, wherein the biomass is straw, stover or an energy crop.

9. The process of claim 6, wherein the cresylic acid comprises o-cresol, m-cresol or p-cresol.

10. The process of claim 6, wherein the processed biomass feedstock is size reduced.

11. The process of claim 6, wherein 90% of the processed biomass feedstock by weight has a particle size that is between ¼

inch and 6 inches in diameter.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein 90% of the processed biomass by weight has a particle size that is between ⅜

inch and 4 inches in diameter.

14. The process of claim 6, further comprising recovering phenols.

15. The process of claim 6, wherein the processed biomass feedstock contains greater than 40 wt % lignin (w/w).

16. The process of claim 6, wherein less than 10 wt % of the ash in the processed biomass feedstock is potassium (w/w).

17. The process of claim 6, wherein the transportation fuel or fuel intermediate is methane.

18. The process of claim 6, wherein the processed biomass feedstock has an amount of potassium removed therefrom and the ash fusion temperature of ash formed during gasification is at least 5°

C. higher than the operating temperature of the gasification.

19. The process of claim 6, wherein the processed biomass feedstock has a cellulose content of 0 to 50% (w/w).

20. The process of claim 6, wherein the processed biomass feedstock comprises lignin recovered after an enzymatic hydrolysis.

21. The process of claim 6, wherein the processed biomass feedstock comprises biomass pretreated with acid.