Hydrogenation of carboxylic acids to increase yield of aromatics
AssigneeVirent, Inc.
InventorsPaul Blommel, Randy Cortright
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods, reactor systems, and catalysts for increasing the yield of aromatic hydrocarbons produced while converting carboxylic acids to aromatic hydrocarbons. The invention includes methods of using catalysts to increase the yield of benzene, toluene, and mixed xylenes in the hydrocarbon product.
Claims26
A method of converting carboxylic acids to aromatic hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
- (a) exposing a feedstock comprising carboxylic acids to hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst at a hydrogenation temperature and a hydrogenation pressure to produce an oxygenate mixture having an H:Ceff ratio of between 0.8 and 1.8;
- and
- (b) exposing the oxygenate mixture to a condensation catalyst at a condensation temperature and a condensation pressure to produce aromatic hydrocarbons.
The method of claim 6 wherein the carboxylic acid feedstock comprises acetic acid or lactic acid.
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A method of converting oxygenated compounds to aromatic hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
- exposing a feedstock comprising a first oxygenate component to hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst at a hydrogenation temperature and a hydrogenation pressure to produce a second oxygenate component;
- and
- exposing the second oxygenate component to a condensation catalyst at a condensation temperature and a condensation pressure to produce aromatic hydrocarbons.
A method of converting acetic acid or lactic acid to aromatic hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
- exposing a feedstock comprising acetic acid to hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst at a hydrogenation temperature and a hydrogenation pressure to produce a reaction stream comprising ethanol, ethyl acetate or acetic acid or exposing a feedstock comprising lactic acid to hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst at a hydrogenation temperature and a hydrogenation pressure to produce a reaction stream comprising propylene glycol, propyl lactate, proprionic acid, propyl propionate, 2-propanol, or 1-propanol;
- and
- exposing the reaction stream to a condensation catalyst at a condensation temperature and a condensation pressure to produce aromatic hydrocarbons.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.