Solvent extraction system and process for hydrothermal liquefaction

A system comprising:

• a biocrude oil emulsion source;
• a heat exchanger disposed downstream of the biocrude oil emulsion source, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool a biocrude oil emulsion stream received from the biocrude oil emulsion source, and wherein the biocrude oil emulsion stream comprises an emulsion including a biocrude oil phase, an aqueous phase, and solids;
• a first mixing vessel disposed downstream of the heat exchanger, wherein the first mixing vessel is configured to mix the emulsion with a solvent to dissolve the biocrude oil phase in the emulsion and form a biocrude-solvent solution;
• a first separator assembly disposed downstream of the first mixing vessel, wherein the first separator assembly is configured to separate the biocrude-solvent solution from the aqueous phase and the solids;
• a solvent recovery apparatus disposed downstream of the first separator assembly, wherein the solvent recovery apparatus is configured to separate biocrude oil and solvent from the biocrude-solvent solution;
• a second mixing vessel disposed downstream of the first separator assembly and disposed downstream of the solvent recovery apparatus, wherein the second mixing vessel is configured to mix solvent received from the solvent recovery apparatus with aqueous phase and solids received from the first separator assembly to dissolve biocrude oil remaining in the aqueous phase and the solids;
• and
• a second separator assembly disposed downstream of the second mixing vessel, wherein the second separator assembly is configured to separate solvent and biocrude oil from the aqueous phase and solids received from the second mixing vessel and supply the solvent and biocrude oil to the first mixing vessel as the solvent.

A system comprising:

• a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactor system configured to produce an emulsion comprising biocrude oil and an aqueous phase;
• and
• a HTL solvent extraction system disposed downstream of the HTL reactor system comprising:
• a first mixing vessel disposed downstream of the HTL reactor system, wherein the first mixing vessel is configured to mix the emulsion with a solvent;
• a first separator assembly disposed downstream of the first mixing vessel, wherein the first separator assembly is configured to receive the emulsion mixed with the solvent and separate the biocrude oil and the solvent from the aqueous phase;
• a solvent recovery apparatus disposed downstream of the first separator assembly, wherein the solvent recovery apparatus is configured to receive biocrude oil and solvent from the first separator assembly and separate the biocrude oil from the solvent;
• a second mixing vessel disposed downstream of the first separator assembly and the solvent recovery apparatus, wherein the second mixing vessel is configured to mix solvent received from the solvent recovery apparatus with aqueous phase received from the first separator assembly to dissolve biocrude oil remaining in the aqueous phase;
• and
• a second separator assembly disposed downstream of the second mixing vessel, wherein the second separator assembly is configured to separate solvent and biocrude oil from aqueous phase received from the second mixing vessel and supply the solvent and the biocrude oil to the first mixing vessel as the solvent.