Biomasses for the production of alternative petrochemical feedstock

Abstract

Systems and methods for the recomposition and conversion of biomasses to alternative petrochemical feedstock are herein disclosed. According to one embodiment, a process involves reducing the particle size of at least one constituent of a biomass feedstock, removing at least one constituent from the biomass feedstock and adding at least one constituent to the biomass feedstock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process comprising:
 reducing a particle size of at least one constituent of a biomass feedstock;   removing at least one constituent from the biomass feedstock; and   adding at least one constituent to the biomass feedstock.   
     
     
         2 . The process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the biomass feedstock comprises lignin. 
     
     
         3 . The process as recited in  claim 2 , wherein removing at least one constituent from the biomass feedstock comprises removing at least a portion of the lignin from the biomass feedstock. 
     
     
         4 . The process as recited in  claim 1 , wherein adding at least one constituent to the biomass feedstock comprises adding a catalyst to the biomass feedstock. 
     
     
         5 . The process as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the catalyst is at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting of: sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         6 . A process comprising:
 reducing the particle size of a biomass feedstock comprising lignin;   contacting the biomass feedstock with a lignin extraction solution to remove at least a portion of the lignin and to generate a biomass product;   reducing the particle size of the biomass product;   suspending the biomass product in an aqueous solution to produce an aqueous biomass slurry;   processing the aqueous biomass slurry.   
     
     
         7 . The process as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the process is continuous. 
     
     
         8 . The process as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the particle size of the biomass feedstock is reduced to a particle size range from about 2 mm to about 20 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The process as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the particle size of the biomass product is reduced to a particle size range from about 2 μm to about 2 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The process as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the lignin extraction solution is selected from the group consisting of: methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and water. 
     
     
         11 . The process as recited in  claim 6 , wherein contacting the biomass feedstock with the lignin extraction solution comprises contacting the biomass feedstock with the lignin extraction solution in a column facilitating countercurrent flow between the biomass feedstock and the lignin extraction solution. 
     
     
         12 . The process as recited in  claim 6 , wherein processing the aqueous biomass slurry comprises:
 pressurizing and heating the aqueous biomass slurry to generate an alternative petrochemical feedstock;   cooling the alternative petrochemical feedstock to an ambient temperature;   depressurizing the alternative petrochemical feedstock; and   recovering at least one component of the alternative petrochemical feedstock.   
     
     
         13 . The process as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the alternative petrochemical feedstock comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of: crude oil, a hydrocarbon, a green chemical and water.