Use of Methanol in the Production of Hydrogen and Fuel, Processes and Plants for the Production of Hydrogen and Fuel

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of biomethanol from the pulp industry in the production of biohydrogen. The preferred biomethanol comprises purified biomethanol derived from black liquor. The invention also relates to a process for the production of biohydrogen from crude biomethanol recovered from black liquor and to a process for producing hydrocarbon biofuel using such biohydrogen as a hydrogen source. The invention further relates to a biofuel production facility for producing fuel from biohydrogen and biohydrocarbon, and to biofuel so produced. The invention makes it possible to produce a biofuel, wherein 100% of the raw material stems from non-fossil sources.

1 . Use of biomethanol derived from the pulp industry for the production of biohydrogen. 
     
     
         2 . The use according to  claim 1 , wherein said biomethanol comprises purified biomethanol derived from black liquor. 
     
     
         3 . The use according to  claim 1 , wherein said biomethanol is recovered from black liquor by distillation and/or stripping. 
     
     
         4 . The use according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein said biohydrogen is used for producing hydrocarbon biofuel. 
     
     
         5 . The use according to  claim 4 , wherein said biohydrogen is used in a biofuel production process step selected from the steps of adjusting the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of syngas, cracking/isomerization of Fischer-Tropsch paraffins, hydrodeoxygenation of natural oils, hydroisomerization of n-paraffins, reduction of catalysts and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The use according to  claim 5 , wherein all of said steps are performed in a biofuel production facility integrated with a pulp and/or paper mill. 
     
     
         7 . A process for the production of biohydrogen, characterized in that crude biomethanol recovered from black liquor is purified and reformed, where after biohydrogen is recovered. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein said purification includes steps selected from washing, scrubbing, stripping, liquid-liquid separation, distillation, catalytic conversion, ion exchange, absorption and adsorption. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 7  or  8 , wherein said reforming comprises autothermal reforming or steam reforming. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to any one of the preceding  claims 7  to  9 , wherein said biohydrogen is recovered by separating it from carbon dioxide in a pressure swing adsorption unit. 
     
     
         11 . A process for producing hydrocarbon biofuel, characterized in that
 a) crude biomethanol recovered from black liquor is purified and reformed to provide biohydrogen and purified biohydrogen is recovered;   b) a biohydrocarbon stream is produced by a process selected from a Fischer-Tropsch reaction of syngas produced from biomass, a hydrodeoxygenation of biological triglycerides or fatty acids and combinations thereof, wherein   c) said biohydrocarbon stream production of step b) includes at least one process step selected from adjusting the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of syngas, cracking/isomerization of Fischer-Tropsch paraffins, hydrodeoxygenation of said biological triglycerides or fatty acids, hydroisomerization of n-paraffins, and reduction of catalysts; and   d) said purified biohydrogen recovered in step a) is used as a hydrogen source in at least one of the process steps defined in step c) and the biohydrocarbon stream produced is separated into fractions and biofuel is recovered from at least one of said fractions.   
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 11 , wherein said biomass comprises biological waste or by-products of wood processing industry. 
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 11  or  12 , wherein said triglycerides or fatty acids comprise tall oil or tall oil fatty acids. 
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 11 , wherein said biomethanol is reformed together with gaseous stream(s), which emanate(s) from one or more process steps of said biofuel production process and which contain(s) gaseous components capable of forming hydrogen by reforming. 
     
     
         15 . A biofuel production facility, characterized in that it comprises
 a Kraft pulp mill ( 19 ), which provides black liquor;   a recovery unit ( 12 ) for recovering of crude biomethanol from said black liquor;   a methanol purification unit ( 13 ) for purification of said crude biomethanol to produce purified biomethanol;   a reforming unit ( 7 ) for reforming of said purified biomethanol to produce a gas mixture containing biohydrogen;   a hydrogen purification unit ( 8 ) for purification of said gas mixture to provide purified biohydrogen; and   a biofuel production plant ( 20 ), which produces biohydrocarbon based biofuel from said biohydrogen and from biomass.   
     
     
         16 . The biofuel production facility of  claim 15 , wherein said biomass includes biological waste and/or by-products of said Kraft pulp mill. 
     
     
         17 . The biofuel production facility of  claim 15 , wherein said recovery unit ( 12 ) for said biomethanol comprises means selected from a stripping unit and a distillation unit and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The biofuel production facility according to  claim 15 , wherein said methanol purification unit ( 13 ) for purification of biomethanol comprises means selected from a scrubbing unit, a washing unit, a stripping unit, an adsorbing unit, an absorbing unit, a catalytic reactor unit and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The biofuel production facility according to any one of the preceding  claims 15  to  18 , wherein said reforming unit ( 7 ) comprises an autothermal reforming unit or a steam reforming unit. 
     
     
         20 . The biofuel production plant according to any one of  claims 15  to  19 , wherein said hydrogen purification unit ( 8 ) comprises at least one adsorbing unit. 
     
     
         21 . Biofuel made of waste and/or by-products of wood processing industry, characterized in that said biofuel is made of biohydrocarbons produced from biological waste and/or by-products of a Kraft pulp mill and biohydrogen produced from black liquor.