Low metal, low water biomass-derived pyrolysis oils and methods for producing the same

A method for producing a low metal, low water biomass-derived pyrolysis oil comprising the steps of:

• contacting a metal- and water- containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil with an acidic ion-exchange resin having sulfonic acid groups to produce a low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil and a spent ion-exchange resin;
• removing the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil from the spent ion-exchange resin and removing residual oil from the spent ion-exchange resin by washing the spent ion-exchange resin with an alcohol ion-exchange regenerant;
• recharging the spent ion-exchange resin with an acidic ion-exchange regenerant recovered and recycled from the distilling step to regenerate the spent ion-exchange resin;
• distilling the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil;
• and
• removing about 5 to 85% of the water from the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil.

A method for producing a low metal, low water biomass-derived pyrolysis oil comprising the steps of:

• contacting a metal- and water- containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil with an acidic ion-exchange resin having sulfonic acid groups to produce a low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil and a spent ion-exchange resin;
• removing the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil from the spent ion-exchange resin;
• distilling the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil using a distillation method selected from the group consisting of azeotropic distillation, vacuum distillation, and gas-assisted distillation to remove the water from the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil at a temperature less than 100° C.;
• and
• removing about 5 to 85% of the water from the low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil.