Process and system for thermochemical conversion of biomass

A system for producing hydrocarbons from biomass that minimizes tar production to less than about 1% based on mass of biomass processed and amount of tar produced, the system comprising:

• fast pyrolysis means operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. for producing a pygas and char;
• independent catalytic conversion means downstream of the fast pyrolysis means operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. for converting the pygas to hydrocarbons;
• and
• a hydrogen source for adding hydrogen to the independent catalytic conversion means.

A system for producing hydrocarbons from biomass that minimizes tar production to less than about 1% based on mass of biomass processed and amount of tar produced, the system comprising:

• a biomass fast pyrolyzer operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. and using a sweep gas comprising hydrogen for producing a pygas and char, the pyrolyzer including heating media;
• an independent catalytic converter downstream of the fast pyrolyzer operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. and without addition of an oxidant for converting the pygas to hydrocarbons;
• a hydrogen source;
• whereby catalytically converting the pygas to hydrocarbons comprises using a stoichiometric ratio of hydrogen over biomass of over 0.5, and a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 0.5 bar to about 100 bar.

A system operating at a pressure between 2 bara to 100 bara for producing hydrocarbons from biomass that minimizes tar production to less than about 1% based on mass of biomass processed and amount of tar produced, the system comprising:

• a biomass fast pyrolyzer operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. and using a sweep gas comprising hydrogen for producing a pygas and char;
• an independent catalytic converter downstream of the fast pyrolyzer operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. for converting the pygas to hydrocarbons;
• a steam reformer fluidly coupled to the catalytic converter for producing hydrogen from at least a portion of the hydrocarbons;
• and
• whereby performing fast pyrolysis and catalytically converting the pygas to hydrocarbon comprise using a stoichiometric ratio of hydrogen over biomass of over 0.5, and a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 0.5 bar to about 100 bar.

A system operating at a pressure between 2 bara to 100 bara for producing hydrocarbons from biomass that minimizes tar production to less than about 1% based on mass of biomass processed and amount of tar produced, the system comprising:

• a biomass fast pyrolyzer operating at a process temperature of less than 650° C. and using a hydrogen containing sweep gas for producing a pygas and char;
• an independent catalytic converter downstream of the fast pyrolyzer for converting the pygas to hydrocarbons;
• a product purifier downstream of the catalytic converter for withdrawing a portion of the hydrocarbons for export;
• a steam reformer fluidly coupled to the product purifier for producing hydrogen from at least a portion of the hydrocarbons;
• and
• whereby performing catalytically converting the pygas to hydrocarbon comprise using a stoichiometric ratio of hydrogen over biomass of over 0.5, and a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 0.5 bar to about 100 bar.

A process for hydrogenating a material in a conversion reactor, comprising:

• hydrogenating a first portion of the material in a conversion reactor to produce a hydrogenated product;
• separating a portion of the hydrogenated product in a separator downstream of the conversion reactor to provide a separated hydrogenated product portion;
• and
• recycling residual hydrogen and remaining hydrogenated material back to the conversion reactor, where the separated hydrogenated product portion is selected to control a hydrogen-to-material ratio in the conversion reactor.