# US 10,551,060 B2 · Systems and methods for converting biomass to biocrude via hydrothermal liquefaction

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- Number: US 10,551,060 B2
- Document ID: US10551060B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/791,061
- Filed: 2017-10-23
- Published: 2018-02-15
- Granted: 2020-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-03
- Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
- Applicants: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
- Inventors: Halil Berberoglu; Rhykka L. Connelly; Joey Anthony; Cody Bond
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10551060B2

## CPC

- F23G 5/027: pyrolising or gasifying stage (pyrolisation of sludge C02F11/00; destructive distillation of carbonaceous materials C10B53/00)
- C10G 1/00: Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal (mechanical winning of oil from oil-shales, oil-sand, or the like B03B)
- C10G 1/065: {in the presence of a solvent}
- C12M 21/02: {Photobioreactors (culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12)}
- C12M 21/04: {for producing gas, e.g. biogas (digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10)}
- C12M 21/12: {for producing fuels or solvents (C12M21/04 takes precedence; liquid carbonaceous fuels C10L1/00, solid fuels C10L5/00)}
- C12M 43/00: {Combinations of bioreactors or fermenters with other apparatus}
- C12M 43/08: {Bioreactors or fermenters combined with devices or plants for production of electricity}
- C10G 2300/1003: Waste materials
- C10G 2300/1007: Used oils
- C10G 2300/1011: Biomass
- C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin
- C10G 2300/1018: of animal origin
- C12P 5/023: {Methane}
- F23G 2900/50803: using solar energy
- Y02E 20/12: Heat utilisation in combustion or incineration of waste
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y02P 20/129: Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
- Y02P 20/133: Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
- Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock
- Y02W 10/37: using solar energy
- F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

Systems and processes of providing novel thermal energy sources for hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactors are described herein. According to various implementations, the systems and processes use concentrated solar thermal energy from a focused high-energy beam to provide sufficient energy for driving the HTL biomass-to-biocrude process. In addition, other implementations convert biowaste, such as municipal biosolids and grease and food waste, to biocrude using anaerobic digesters, and a portion of the biogas generated by the digesters is used to produce the thermal and/or electrical energy used in the HTL reactor for the biomass-to-biocrude process. Furthermore, alternative implementations may include a hybrid system that uses biogas and solar radiation to provide sufficient thermal energy for the HTL reactor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for converting biomass to biocrude comprising:
a hydrothermal liquefaction system comprising a hydrothermal liquefaction reactor, the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor configured for receiving biomass feedstock and converting the biomass feedstock to biocrude, wherein the hydrothermal liquefaction system receives biogas and combusts the biogas to provide thermal energy to the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one anaerobic digester configured for digesting biowaste and producing the biogas.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the biomass feedstock received by the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor comprises the biowaste digested by the anaerobic digester, and the system further comprises a concentration mechanism configured for receiving the biosolids biowaste from the anaerobic digester and concentrating the biowaste prior to the biowaste being converted to biocrude by the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the system is configured for being installed at least partially within a biosolids treatment facility.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the biowaste comprises municipal biosolid waste, grease waste, and/or food waste.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biogas is harvested remotely from the system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biogas for combusting by the hydrothermal liquefaction system is a first portion of biogas, and the system further comprises a generator configured for receiving thermal energy from combustion of a second portion of biogas, the generator configured for generating electrical energy, wherein the generated electrical energy and any remaining thermal energy from the combustion of the second portion of biogas are provided to the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor for heating the biomass feedstock.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass feedstock comprises biowaste.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the biowaste comprises municipal biosolid waste, grease waste, and/or food waste.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass feedstock comprises algae and/or marine biomass.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass feedstock comprises wood waste.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass feedstock comprises cellulosic waste.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured for continuously pumping the biomass feedstock through the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the pump is configured for pumping the biomass feedstock at a pressure around 20 MPa.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a quencher disposed adjacent an exit of the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor, the quencher configured for quickly cooling the biocrude.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger downstream of the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor, the heat exchanger configured for harvesting the thermal energy from combustion of the biocrude, biogas, and/or biochar produced by the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further comprising a generator configured for generating electrical energy for operating at least one of one or more pumps and one or more electrical components, wherein the thermal energy from the heat exchanger is used for driving the generator.

### Claim 18

A process of converting biomass feedstock to biocrude comprising:
combusting biogas, by a hydrothermal liquefaction system, to produce thermal energy;
pumping biomass feedstock through a hydrothermal liquefaction reactor of the hydrothermal liquefaction system; and
heating, in the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor, the biomass feedstock using the thermal energy from the combustion of the biogas.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The process of claim 18, wherein the biogas is produced by at least one anaerobic digester of a biosolids treatment facility.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The process of claim 18, further comprising: collecting thermal energy from combustion of natural gas; and heating the biomass feedstock using the collected thermal energy from the combustion of natural gas in the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor.

### Claim 21

A process of converting biomass to biocrude, comprising:
feeding municipal sludge to at least one anaerobic digester, the municipal sludge comprising biowaste;
collecting thermal energy from combustion of a first portion of biogas generated from partial digestion of the biowaste;
providing the thermal energy from combustion of the first portion of biogas to a generator;
providing a second portion of biogas generated from partial digestion of the biowaste to a hydrothermal liquefaction system for combusting, the hydrothermal liquefaction system comprising a hydrothermal liquefaction reactor;
providing the thermal energy from combustion of the second portion of the biogas, waste heat generated by the generator, at least a portion of electrical energy generated by the generator, and the partially digested biowaste from the anaerobic digester to the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor;
recirculating waste heat generated by the hydrothermal liquefaction system to the anaerobic digesters; and
harvesting biocrude from the hydrothermal liquefaction system.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The process of claim 21, further comprising concentrating the partially digested biowaste fed from the anaerobic digester prior to feeding the partially digested biowaste to the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor, and feeding an aqueous phase from the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor and washoff from the concentration of the partially digested biowaste to secondary and tertiary treatment streams of a biosolids treatment plant.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The process of claim 21, further comprising harvesting waste thermal energy from the hydrothermal liquefaction system and providing the waste thermal energy to an electrical generator and/or the at least one anaerobic digester.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the biomass feedstock comprises animal waste.