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US 2019/0337867 A1Published application
Systems for reducing resource consumption in production of alcohol fuel by conversion to hydrocarbon fuels
AssigneeVertimass, LLC
InventorsCharles E. Wyman, John R. Hannon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems are presented that reduce energy and water consumption in processes for producing fuel from renewable alcohol-containing feedstreams. Alcohol content is converted directly to hydrocarbon transport fuels in a catalytic process, with heat transferred between intermediate process streams to reduce heat energy consumption. Overall water consumption is reduced by recovery of water from the catalytic process and reduction of water temperature to reduce evaporative losses.
Claims21
A system for producing a hydrocarbon product, comprising:
- a source of alcohol broth that is in fluid communication with a primary beer column pre-heater;
- a beer column configured to receive a heated alcohol broth from the primary beer column pre-heater and to produce a first intermediate product stream comprising an alcohol/water mixture and a second intermediate product stream comprising residual matter;
- a reactor pre-heater that is in fluid communication with the beer column and is configured to receive the first intermediate product stream and heat it to produce a pre-heated first intermediate product stream;
- a furnace that is in fluid communication with the reactor pre-heater, and is configured to receive the pre-heated first intermediate product stream and heat it to at least 250° C. to produce a heated first intermediate product stream;
- a catalytic reactor that is in fluid communication with the furnace and is configured to generate a third intermediate product stream comprising a hydrocarbon product, water, and a light hydrocarbon;
- a first conduit that is configured to direct the third intermediate product stream to a phase separator, wherein the conduit is configured to transfer at least a portion of heat energy of the third intermediate product stream to the reactor pre-heater, and wherein the phase separator is configured to separate the third intermediate product stream into a hydrocarbon product stream comprising the hydrocarbon product, a water stream, and a light hydrocarbon fraction stream.
3 more elements
A system for reducing water consumption in a fuel plant comprising;
- a source of an alcohol broth comprising an alcohol;
- a primary beer column pre-heater that is in fluid communication with the source of the alcohol broth;
- a beer column that is in fluid communication with the primary beer column pre-heater, wherein the beer column is configured to generate a first intermediate product stream comprising a concentrated alcohol/water mixture;
- a catalytic unit pre-heater that is in fluid communication with the beer column, and that is configured to receive the concentrated alcohol/water mixture and to generate a pre-heated alcohol/water mixture;
- an oven that is in fluid communication with the catalytic unit pre-heater and that is configured to receive the pre-heated alcohol/water mixture and generate a heated alcohol/water mixture;
- a catalytic unit that is in fluid communication with the oven and that is configured to receive the heated alcohol/water mixture and to generate a second intermediate product stream comprising water and a hydrocarbon product;
- a phase separator that is in fluid communication with the catalytic unit and configured to receive the second intermediate product stream and to separate the second intermediate product stream into a hot water stream and a hydrocarbon product stream;
- and
- a first conduit that is in fluid communication with the phase separator and configured to transfer at least a portion of the hot water stream for recycling.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.