# US 8,771,601 B2 · Method and apparatus for converting organic material

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- Number: US 8,771,601 B2
- Document ID: US8771601B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/608,825
- Filed: 2012-09-10
- Published: 2013-08-01
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2005-04-29
- Assignees: Altaca Insaat ve dis Ticaret A.S.
- Applicants: Steen Brummerstedt Iversen; Karsten Felsvang; Tommy Larsen; Viggo Lüthje
- Inventors: Steen Brummerstedt Iversen; Karsten Felsvang; Tommy Larsen; Viggo Lüthje
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771601B2

## CPC

- B01J 21/04: Alumina
- B01J 8/00: Chemical or physical processes in general, conducted in the presence of fluids and solid particles; Apparatus for such processes
- B01J 21/06: Silicon, titanium, zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof
- B01J 21/066: {Zirconium or hafnium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof}
- C02F 11/10: by pyrolysis
- C10G 1/086: {Characterised by the catalyst used}
- C10L 5/44: on vegetable substances
- C10L 9/086: {Hydrothermal carbonization}
- C02F 11/121: by mechanical de-watering
- C10G 2300/1003: Waste materials
- C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin
- C10G 2300/80: Additives
- C10G 2300/805: Water
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock
- Y02W 10/30: Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies
- Y02W 10/40: Valorisation of by-products of wastewater, sewage or sludge processing
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for intensifying the energy content of an organic material by converting the material into hydrocarbons and the resulting product thereof. A method for converting an organic material into hydrocarbon fuels is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of pressurising said organic material being in a fluid to a pressure above 225 bar, heating said organic material in said fluid to a temperature above 200 C in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IA of the periodic table of elements. The disclosed method further comprises the steps of contacting said organic material in said fluid with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IVB of the periodic table and/or alpha-alumina assuring that said fluid has initially a pH value of above 7.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for converting an organic material into hydrocarbons comprising:
a pre-conversion system and a product recovery system, said pre-conversion system comprising:
a first heating unit configured to heat a feed of fluid comprising organic material;
a catalyst reactor configured to contain a catalyst configured to contact the feed of fluid comprising organic material,
wherein a first particle separating unit is situated after the first heating unit in the feeding direction,
wherein a second heating unit situated is after the first particle separating unit and before the catalyst reactor in the feeding direction; and
an adjusting unit configured to adjust the fluid to have a pH value of above 7 and said product recovery system comprising:
a membrane-filter configured to separate a first stream of oils and water soluble salts in from a second stream of water and water soluble organics.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-conversion system further comprises storage reservoir configured to feed organic material to the fluid in a feeding direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-conversion system further comprises a pre-treating unit situated after the feedstock and before the first heating unit in the feeding direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pre-treating unit further comprises a first heat exchanger, which is configured to both heat the fluid in the pre-treating system and also configured to cool the fluid from pre-conversion system before entering the product recovery system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pre-treating unit further comprises a first expansion unit, which is situated between the first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the product recovery system further comprises means for recirculating part of the first stream into the pre- treating unit of the pre-conversion system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-conversion system further comprises a second particle separation unit after the catalyst reactor in the feeding direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-conversion system further comprises means for re-circulating part of the feed of fluid, after the catalyst reactor, into the feed of fluid, before the second heating unit in the feeding direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product recovery system further comprises a gas separating unit for separation of gas, the gas separating unit being situated after the first heating unit and before the membrane-filter in the feeding direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the product recovery system further comprises means for recirculating said gas for heating the fluid in a second heat exchanger.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product recovery system further comprises a second expansion unit situated after the membrane-filter in the feeding direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product recovery system further comprises a phase separator unit configured to separate oil from the first stream, said phase separator unit is situated after the membrane-filter in the feeding direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product recovery system further comprises a direct methanol fuel cell configured to generate electricity from the second stream.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the membrane-filter comprises one or more membrane-filters that is/are selected from the group consisting of membrane processes comprising ultra-filtration, nano-filtration, reverse osmosis or pervaporation or a combination thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the product recovery system further comprises a second membrane-filter configured to separate a purified methanol compound from the second stream.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the product recovery system is configured to recirculate the purified methanol compound from the second stream to a pre-treating unit of the pre-conversion system.