Hydrocarbon-based fuels from biomass
AssigneeCantrell Research, Incorporated
InventorsCharles L. Cantrell, Ngee S. Chong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process for providing fuels from biomass such as seed oils or plant fruits. Generally the process utilizes a metal catalyzed conversion to step to provide fuel mixtures with compositions that may be varied depending on conditions of temperature, pressure and time of reaction. Mixtures of hydrocarbons produced from limonene feedstocks include alicyclic, alkyl and aromatic species. Monocyclic aromatic compounds may be obtained in high yields depending on the reaction conditions employed.
Claims29
A process for the preparation of a biomass fuel having an octane number of at least 95, comprising the steps:
- obtaining a feedstock that includes one or more terpenoids;
- converting the feedstock in a liquid phase at a temperature between about 80.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C. at ambient pressure in the presence of a matrix-supported single metal catalyst selected from a group consisting essentially of platinum, palladium or rhodium for a period of time sufficient to provide a hydrocarbon fuel mixture having at least 70% monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content wherein said hydrocarbon mixture contains up to 3% of volatile hydrocarbons with vapor pressures of at least 0.17 psi at 100.degree. C. and contains less than 2% of aliphatic olefins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components.
A process for converting biomass to a hydrocarbon fuel, comprising the steps:
- obtaining the biomass from a plant oil, seed, leaves or fruit wherein the biomass is provided from chemical or mechanical extraction;
- and
- converting the biomass in a liquid phase to the hydrocarbon fuel at 365.degree.-370.degree. C. in the presence of a palladium or platinum metal on carbon catalyst at a pressure of between 800 psi and 2000 psi for a time sufficient to form a hydrocarbon fuel mixture consisting essentially of cis- and trans-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexane and up to 3% of low molecular weight saturated hydrocarbons with vapor pressures greater than about 0.17 psi at 100.degree. C. wherein the hydrocarbon fuel mixture is substantially fee of olefinic and aromatic hydrocarbons.
A hydrocarbon composition capable of boosting octane in gasoline fuels for internal combustion engines, comprising hydrocarbons having formulae C.sub.10 H.sub.14, C.sub.10 H.sub.18, and C.sub.10 H.sub.20 with a ratio of about 80:17:3 wherein the C.sub.10 H.sub.14 is 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)benzene, C.sub.10 H.sub.18 is 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexane and C.sub.10 H.sub.20 is a mixture of cis- and trans-1-methyl-4-(1-methyl)cyclohexane.
A hydrocarbon composition biomass fuel having an octane rating of at least 95 consisting essentially of 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)benzene, menthene and aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons from a group consisting essentially of 3,3,5-trimethylheptane, 4-methyl-1,3-pentadiene and 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexane wherein the aliphatic hydrocarbons are present at about 1-3% by volume and the 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl-)benzene is at least about 70% by volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.