US 11,466,220 B2 · Low energy process to produce a hydrophobic oil from biomass pyrolysis liquids

Abstract

Described is a novel process for fractionating biomass pyrolysis oil quantitatively into energy dense hydrophobic aromatic fraction and water-soluble organics in an economical and energy efficient manner. Using the concepts of solvents and anti-solvent behaviours to separate the pyrolysis oil, which is an emulsion, a method utilising minimal quantities of solvents and water is proposed, By comparison with the existing methods to isolate the hydrophobic aromatic fraction, there is a volume reduction of greater than 50:1. Additionally, there is a significant time saving over the 24 hours for the accepted method as a solvent, and the anti-solvent system is spontaneous.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A process for quantitatively fractionating pyrolysis oil (PO) comprising the steps of:

a) adding water to single phase PO, the water being added in an amount of from about 1% to about 20% mass ratio of PO,
b) following step a), adding a solvent with mixing, said solvent having less than about 10% mass fraction solubility in water and an affinity for hydrophobic aromatic fraction (HAF), and wherein said solvent is added in an amount of from about 1% to about 20% mass ratio of the PO,
c) settling the mixture to allow phase separation into two fractions, thereby obtaining:
(i) organic phase comprising the solvent, and HAF and,
(ii) an aqueous phase comprising PO water soluble organics.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/319,469Filed 21 Jun 2017

Priority

GB 161271622 Jul 2016

Published

US 2019/0330540 A131 Oct 2019

Granted

11 Oct 2022

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

C10G 21/02
Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents: with two or more solvents, which are introduced…
C10G 21/16
Organic compounds only: oxygen-containing compounds
C10G 21/28
Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents: recovery of used solvent
C10G 2300/1011
Feedstock materials: biomass

Low energy process to produce a hydrophobic oil from biomass pyrolysis liquids

Life of this patent

Low energy process to produce a hydrophobic oil from biomass pyrolysis liquids

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19