Bacterial Production of Jet Fuel and Gasoline Range Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Methods for forming hydrocarbon products from bacteria, namely, bacteria which produce fatty acids, are disclosed. The methods involve the bacterial production of fatty acids, the thermal decarboxylation of the resulting fatty acids, the hydrocracking and isomerization of the decarboxylation product, and the distillation to yield the desired hydrocarbon fractions. The products can be isolated in the gasoline, jet and/or diesel fuel ranges. Thus, bacteria can be used to produce products in the gasoline, jet and/or diesel fuel ranges which are virtually indistinguishable from those derived from their petroleum-based analogs.

1 . A method of forming a hydrocarbon product, comprising the steps of:
 a) cultivating bacteria which produce a fatty acid product, to provide a source of fatty acids,   b) isolating the fatty acids,   c) performing thermal decarboxylation on the fatty acids to form a thermal decarboxylation product stream,   d) hydrocracking the thermal decarboxylation product stream, and   c) isolating a product in the gasoline, jet, or diesel fuel range.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product is in the jet range. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein all or a portion of the product is subjected to isomerization conditions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein all or a portion of the product is subjected to hydrogenation, hydrotreatment, and/or hydrofinishing conditions. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the product is in the jet range. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein all or a portion of the product is subjected to isomerization conditions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein all or a portion of the product is subjected to hydrogenation, hydrotreatment, and/or hydrofinishing conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product is in the diesel or gasoline range. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein all or a portion of the product is subjected to hydrogenation, hydrotreatment, and/or hydrofinishing conditions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein all or a portion of the product is subjected to isomerization conditions. 
     
     
         11 . A jet fuel or jet fuel additive produced by the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         12 . A jet fuel or jet fuel additive produced by the method of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         13 . The jet fuel or jet fuel additive of  claim 11 , further comprising petroleum-based jet fuel. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a renewable jet fuel or jet fuel additive, comprising the steps of:
 a) cultivating a bacteria which produces fatty acids,   b) isolating the fatty acids,   c) performing thermal decarboxylation on the fatty acids to form a thermal decarboxylation product stream,   d) hydrocracking the thermal decarboxylation product stream,   e) subjecting the hydrocracked product stream to isomerization conditions, and   f) isolating a product in the jet fuel range.   
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a renewable diesel fuel or diesel fuel additive, comprising the steps of:
 a) cultivating a bacteria which produces fatty acids,   b) isolating the fatty acids,   c) performing thermal decarboxylation on the fatty acids to form a thermal decarboxylation product stream, optionally,   d) hydrotreating the product stream resulting from the thermal decarboxylation step, and   e) isolating a product in the diesel fuel range.