# US 2013/0152456 A1 · Biomass conversion systems having a fluid circulation loop containing backflushable filters for control of cellulosic fines and methods for use thereof

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- Number: US 2013/0152456 A1
- Document ID: US20130152456A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/332,309
- Filed: 2011-12-20
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16
- Assignees: Shell Oil Company
- Inventors: Joseph Broun POWELL
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152456A1

## CPC

- C10G 1/06: by destructive hydrogenation
- B01D 29/56: in series connection
- C10G 1/002: {in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes}
- C10G 1/065: {in the presence of a solvent}
- C10G 3/00: Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oxygen-containing organic materials, e.g. fatty oils, fatty acids (production from non-melting solid oxygen-containing carbonaceous materials C10G1/00)
- C10G 3/42: {Catalytic treatment}
- C10L 1/02: essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
- B01J 8/00: Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes
- C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin
- Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock
- 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
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Digestion of cellulosic biomass to produce a hydrolysate may be accompanied by the formation of cellulosic fines which may be damaging to system components. Biomass conversion systems that may address the issue of cellulosic fines may comprise a fluid circulation loop comprising: a hydrothermal digestion unit; a solids separation unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit; where the solids separation unit comprises a plurality of filters and the filters are in fluid communication with the fluid circulation loop in both a forward and a reverse flow direction; and a catalytic reduction reactor unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the solids separation unit and an inlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit; where at least one of the plurality of filters is in fluid communication with an inlet of the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
providing a biomass conversion system that comprises a fluid circulation loop comprising:
a hydrothermal digestion unit;
a solids separation unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit;
wherein the solids separation unit comprises a plurality of filters; and
a catalytic reduction reactor unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the solids separation unit and an inlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit;
providing a cellulosic biomass in the hydrothermal digestion unit;
at least partially digesting the cellulosic biomass in the hydrothermal digestion unit to form a hydrolysate comprising soluble carbohydrates and cellulosic fines within a liquor phase;
flowing the liquor phase through at least one of the filters to sequester the cellulosic fines; and
backflushing at least a portion of the cellulosic fines to the hydrothermal digestion unit while the liquor phase continues to flow through one or more of the filters to the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
forming a reaction product in the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the reaction product is used to backflush the cellulosic fines.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid circulation loop is configured such that countercurrent flow is established in the hydrothermal digestion unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of filters comprises a catalytic filter comprising a solid support and a catalyst that is capable of activating molecular hydrogen.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
at least partially converting the soluble carbohydrates into a reaction product on the catalytic filter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
further converting the soluble carbohydrates into the reaction product in the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filters are connected in parallel to one another.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filters are arranged on a rotatable filter array.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
reversing a direction of fluid flow in the filters being backflushed; and
reversing a direction of fluid flow in one or more of the other filters so as to backflush cellulosic fines therefrom.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 60% of the cellulosic biomass, on a dry basis, is digested to produce hydrolysate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 90% of the cellulosic biomass, on a dry basis, is digested to produce hydrolysate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
converting the hydrolysate into a biofuel.

### Claim 14

A method comprising:
providing a biomass conversion system that comprises a fluid circulation loop comprising:
a hydrothermal digestion unit;
a solids separation unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit;
wherein the solids separation unit comprises a plurality of filters; and
a catalytic reduction reactor unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the solids separation unit and an inlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit;
providing a cellulosic biomass in the hydrothermal digestion unit;
at least partially digesting the cellulosic biomass in the hydrothermal digestion unit to form a hydrolysate comprising soluble carbohydrates and cellulosic fines within a liquor phase;
flowing the liquor phase through at least one of the filters to sequester the cellulosic fines;
at least partially converting the soluble carbohydrates into a reaction product in the catalytic reduction reactor unit; and
backflushing at least a portion of the cellulosic fines to the hydrothermal digestion unit using at least a portion of the reaction product.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein backflushing takes place while the liquor phase continues to flow through one or more of the filters to the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the fluid circulation loop is configured such that countercurrent flow is established in the hydrothermal digestion unit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of filters comprises a catalytic filter comprising a solid support and a catalyst that is capable of activating molecular hydrogen.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
at least partially converting the soluble carbohydrates into the reaction product on the catalytic filter.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of filters are connected in parallel to one another.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of filters are arranged on a rotatable filter array.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
reversing a direction of fluid flow in the filters being backflushed; and
reversing a direction of fluid flow in one or more of the other filters so as to backflush cellulosic fines therefrom.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein at least about 60% of the cellulosic biomass, on a dry basis, is digested to produce hydrolysate.

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein at least about 90% of the cellulosic biomass, on a dry basis, is digested to produce hydrolysate.

### Claim 24 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
converting the hydrolysate into a biofuel.

### Claim 25

A biomass conversion system comprising:
a fluid circulation loop comprising:
a hydrothermal digestion unit;
a solids separation unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit;
wherein the solids separation unit comprises a plurality of filters;
wherein the filters are in fluid communication with the fluid circulation loop in both a forward and a reverse flow direction; and
a catalytic reduction reactor unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the solids separation unit and an inlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit;
wherein at least one of the plurality of filters is in fluid communication with an inlet of the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The biomass conversion system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of filters is in fluid communication with an outlet of the catalytic reduction reactor unit.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The biomass conversion system of claim 25, wherein the fluid circulation loop is configured to establish countercurrent flow in the hydrothermal digestion unit.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The biomass conversion system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of filters comprises a catalytic filter comprising a solid support and a catalyst that is capable of activating molecular hydrogen.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The biomass conversion system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of filters are connected in parallel to one another.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The biomass conversion system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of filters are arranged on a rotatable filter array.