US 8,796,494 B2 · Process for direct conversion of biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals

Abstract

A method of catalytically preparing a fluid product from solid carbonaceous material is described. In the method, at least one of the following equilibria is established by one or more catalysts: a) CH3OH=CO+2H2, b) CO+H2O=CO2+H2. In some versions, the solid carbonaceous material is woody biomass. Components of the fluid product can include one or a combination of C5-C9 alcohols. In certain versions, the method can be practiced with substantially all of the carbon in the carbonaceous material being converted to the fluid product. Also, in some versions, the fluid product can be prepared with substantially no char formation. The fluid product of various versions can be used directly as fuel or as a reagent for preparing commodity chemicals without the need for separating the fluid product components.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of catalytically preparing a fluid product from biomass containing lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose or lignocellulose, or any combination thereof, comprising:

reacting the biomass in a reducing environment in the presence of methanol and one or more catalysts so as to produce a fluid product comprising a high-octane gasoline additive containing at least one of methanol or C5-C9 aliphatic alcohols, wherein the one or more catalysts establish both of the following equilibria:
CH3OH=CO+2H2, a)
CO+H2O=CO2+H2. b)

A method of catalytically preparing a fluid product from solid carbonaceous material, wherein when the solid carbonaceous material comprises biomass, the biomass comprises lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose or lignocellulose or any combination thereof, the method comprising:

reacting the solid carbonaceous material in the presence of one or more first catalysts to produce soluble material under conditions in which both of the following equilibria are established by the one or more first catalysts:
CH3OH=CO+2H2, a)
CO+H2O=CO2+H2;
b)
depolymerizing polymeric material in the presence of one or more depolymerization catalysts, the polymeric material contained in or derived from the solid carbonaceous material;
dehydrating chemical compounds in the presence of one or more dehydration catalysts, the chemical compounds derived from the solid carbonaceous material;
and
hydrogenating chemical intermediates in the presence of one or more hydrogenation catalysts, the chemical intermediates derived from the solid carbonaceous material;
whereby to produce a fluid product.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/885,397Filed 17 Sep 2010 · us provisional application

Priority

17 Sep 2009

Published

US 2011/0065814 A117 Mar 2011

Granted

5 Aug 2014

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

C07C 29/1518
Multisteps: one step being the formation of initial mixture of carbon oxides and hydrogen for synthesis
C01B 3/22
Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen: by decomposition of gaseous or liquid organic compounds
C10J 3/00
Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels
C10L 1/02
Liquid carbonaceous fuels: essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only

Process for direct conversion of biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals

Life of this patent

Process for direct conversion of biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24