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US 8,617,262 B2Granted
Condensation of glycols to produce biofuels
AssigneePhillips 66 Company
InventorMatthew J. Truitt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to methods for converting light glycol streams of biological origin into products suitable for use as oxygenated fuel additives. These methods involve the acidic condensation of light glycols to form larger products, termed low molecular weight poly-glycols. The remaining hydroxyl functional groups of the poly-glycol products are then modified to decrease the overall polarity of the products, and improve their suitability for use as an oxygenated fuel additive.
Claims20
A process comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a biomass-derived feedstream comprising light glycols, wherein said glycols comprise molecules containing two, three or four carbon atoms;
- (b) contacting the feedstream of step (a) with a first catalyst in a reactor, wherein the contacting results in an acidic condensation reaction that converts a least a portion of the feedstream to condensation products, wherein said condensation products comprise at least 4 carbon atoms at least one ether functional group, and one or more remaining hydroxyl functional groups;
- (c) converting at least a portion of the remaining hydroxyl functional groups on the condensation products from step (b) to ether functional groups by combining the condensation products with a second catalyst to produce a liquid hydrocarbon mixture suitable for use as an additive to liquid hydrocarbon fuels,
- wherein the converting takes place in the presence of an olefin, monofunctional alcohol or mixtures thereof,
- wherein the liquid hydrocarbon mixture has increased miscibility in liquid hydrocarbon fuels as a result of step c).
2 more elements
A process comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a biomass-derived feedstream comprising light glycols, wherein said glycols comprise molecules containing two, three or four carbon atoms;
- (b) contacting the feedstream of step (a) with a first catalyst in a reactor, wherein the contacting results in an acidic condensation reaction that converts a least a portion of the feedstream to condensation products, wherein said condensation products comprise at least 4 carbon atoms at least one ether functional group, and one or more remaining hydroxyl functional groups;
- (c) reducing at least a portion of the remaining hydroxyl groups on the condensation products from step (b) by combining the condensation products with a second catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to produce water and a liquid hydrocarbon mixture suitable for use as an additive for a liquid hydrocarbon fuel,
- wherein the liquid hydrocarbon mixture has increased miscibility in liquid hydrocarbon fuels as a result of step c).
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.