Production of Olefins and Aromatics

Abstract

In a process for producing olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, a feed comprising a biomass pyrolysis oil or a fraction thereof is supplied to a steam cracking unit operating at a temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C. or a reverse flow reactor operating at a temperature of 900° C. to 1,700° C. and is thermally cracked to produce one or more hydrocarbon effluent fractions.

1 . A process for producing olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
 (a) supplying a feed comprising a biomass pyrolysis-oil or a fraction thereof to a steam cracking unit operating at a temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C. and recovering one or more hydrocarbon effluent fractions.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the residence time of the feed at said temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C. is less than 1 second. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the feed to the steam cracking unit also comprises a fossil hydrocarbon feedstock. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the fossil hydrocarbon feedstock is selected from ethane, natural gas liquids, natural gas condensate, naphtha, distillate, gas oils, resids, shale oils and/or crude oils. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon effluent fractions comprise C 2 + olefins and C 6 + aromatic hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising removing CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, and organic oxygenates from said hydrocarbon effluent fractions. 
     
     
         7 . A process for producing olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
 (a) pyrolysing biomass in a reactor under conditions to convert the biomass to a vapor condensable into pyrolysis oil, non-condensable gases and solid biochar; and   (b) supplying a feed comprising at least part of the condensable vapor or the condensed pyrolysis oil to a steam cracking unit operating at a temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C. and recovering one or more hydrocarbon effluent fractions.   
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein said condensable vapor is supplied to the steam cracking unit without intermediate liquefaction. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the residence time of the feed at said temperature of 600° C. to 1000° C. is less than 1 second. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the feed to the steam cracking unit also comprises a fossil hydrocarbon feedstock. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the fossil hydrocarbon feedstock stream is selected from ethane, natural gas liquids, natural gas condensate, naphtha, distillate, gas oils, resids, shale oils, and/or crude oils. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon effluent fractions comprise C 4 − olefins and C 6 + aromatic hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 7 , further comprising removing CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, and organic oxygenates from said hydrocarbon effluent fractions. 
     
     
         14 . A process for producing olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
 (a) supplying a feed comprising a biomass pyrolysis oil or a fraction thereof to a reverse flow reactor operating at a temperature of 900° C. to 1,700° C. and recovering one or more hydrocarbon effluent fractions including acetylene; and   (b) converting at least a portion of the acetylene to olefins and/or aromatics.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the residence time of the feed at a temperature above 500° C. is less than 1 second. 
     
     
         16 . A process for producing olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
 (a) supplying a feed comprising a biomass pyrolysis oil or a fraction thereof along with steam to an initial heating zone at a temperature sufficient to vaporize a portion of the biomass pyrolysis oil in the presence of the steam and produce a two phase stream;   (b) feeding the two phase stream of (a) to a vapor-liquid separator to produce a vapor stream and a liquid stream; and   (c) feeding the vapor stream of (b) to a thermal cracking zone to produce a product stream enriched in olefins and aromatics.   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal cracking zone of (c) is a steam cracker pyrolysis furnace. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal cracking zone of (c) is a reverse flow reactor. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein a fossil hydrocarbon feedstock is co-fed to the heating zone of (a). 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein a fossil hydrocarbon feedstock is co-fed to the vapor-liquid separator of (b). 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein a fossil hydrocarbon feedstock is co-fed to the thermal cracking zone of (c). 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the liquid stream from the vapor-liquid separator of (b) is sent to a fuel disposition.