Production of hydrocarbon liquids

Abstract

A process to efficiently convert organic feedstock material into liquid non-oxygenated hydrocarbons in the C 5 to C 12 carbon skeleton range is disclosed. The process can utilize gaseous, liquid or solid organic feedstocks containing carbon, hydrogen and, optionally, oxygen. The feedstock may require preparation of the organic feedstock for the process and is converted first into a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The synthesis gas is then cleaned and conditioned and extraneous components removed, leaving substantially only the carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It is then converted via a series of chemical reactions into the desired liquid hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons are suitable for combustion in a vehicle engine and may be regarded a replacement for petrol made from fossil fuels in the C 5 to C 12 carbon backbone range. The process also recycles gaseous by-products back through the various reactors of the process to maximize the liquid hydrocarbon in the C 5 to C 12 carbon skeleton range yield.

1 - 105 . (canceled) 
     
     
         106 . A process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material comprising:
 a) providing an organic feedstock and oxygen at sub stoichiometric conditions so as to promote partial combustion of said organic feedstock so as to produce a synthesis gas stream, the synthesis gas stream containing at least carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen;   b) substantially removing unwanted solid and liquid matter comprising oxides, ash and hydrocarbons having a carbon skeleton of greater than C10 from said synthesis gas stream to produce a first cleaned synthesis gas stream containing at least carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen;   c) compressing said first cleaned synthesis gas stream and substantially removing water;   d) conditioning and further cleaning the first cleaned synthesis gas stream by substantially removing inorganic elements and inorganic compounds from said first cleaned synthesis gas stream to provide a second cleaned synthesis gas stream containing at least carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen;   e) selectively removing carbon dioxide from said second cleaned synthesis gas stream;   f) catalytically treating said second cleaned synthesis gas stream to produce a first mixture containing at least carbon monoxide, hydrogen and dimethyl ether;   g) collecting said dimethyl ether from said first mixture;   h) catalytically reacting said dimethyl ether to produce a second mixture containing at least alkanes; and   i) selectively obtaining said alkanes having from a C5 to C12 skeleton from said second mixture.   
     
     
         107 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the hydrocarbons having a carbon skeleton of greater than C10 are light oils, tar or olefins. 
     
     
         108 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the first cleaned synthesis gas stream contains alkanes, alkenes and alkynes. 
     
     
         109 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein step (d) further comprises removing at least a portion of the alkanes, alkenes and alkynes and reacting the at least a portion of the alkanes, alkenes and alkynes in a reformer to produce at least carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. 
     
     
         110 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 109 , wherein the reformer is an autothermal reformer and wherein the alkanes, alkenes and alkynes are reacted in the reformer at a temperature of from about 950° C. to about 1100° C. and at a pressure of less than about 9790 kpa. 
     
     
         111 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the carbon dioxide is selectively removed from the second cleaned synthesis gas stream by an acid/gas carbon dioxide removal process. 
     
     
         112 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the second cleaned synthesis gas stream is catalytically treated to produce the first mixture comprising at least carbon monoxide, hydrogen and dimethyl ether using a base metal catalyst. 
     
     
         113 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 112 , wherein the second cleaned synthesis gas stream is catalytically treated to produce the first mixture comprising at least carbon monoxide, hydrogen and dimethyl ether using the base metal catalyst at a temperature of from about 225° C. to about 300° C. and at a pressure of 2.5 Mpa to 7.5 Mpa; the base metal catalyst being a nickel catalyst, a copper catalyst, a zinc catalyst, or an iron catalyst. 
     
     
         114 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the dimethyl ether in the first mixture is catalytically treated to produce a second mixture containing at least alkanes using a zeolite catalyst. 
     
     
         115 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 114 , the dimethyl ether in the first mixture being catalytically treated to produce a second mixture containing at least alkanes, wherein the zeolite catalyst has a high ratio of silica to alumina and the first mixture is catalytically treated at a temperature of from about 350° C. to about 450° C. and at a pressure of from about 140 kpa to about 350 kpa. 
     
     
         116 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the C5 to C12 alkanes are selectively obtained from the second mixture by distillation. 
     
     
         117 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the second mixture further contains alkenes, alkynes, aromatic compounds, or napthalenes. 
     
     
         118 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 117 , wherein the alkenes, alkynes, aromatic compounds, or napthalenes are selectively obtained from the second mixture by distillation. 
     
     
         119 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein step (e) further comprises using a water/gas shift reaction. 
     
     
         120 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 119 , wherein the water/gas shift reaction increases the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         121 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 120 , wherein the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide is from about 1:1 to about 1:2. 
     
     
         122 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the process is exothermic. 
     
     
         123 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 122 , wherein heat generated from the process is utilized for heating steam boilers to produce steam. 
     
     
         124 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 123 , wherein the steam is utilized to drive steam powered electrical generators to produce electricity. 
     
     
         125 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 124 , wherein the electricity is utilized to power the hydrocarbon producing process. 
     
     
         126 . The process for producing a C5 to C12 hydrocarbon fuel from organic material as defined in  claim 106 , wherein the organic feedstock is a solid, a gas or a liquid.