Liquefaction of carbonaceous material and biomass to produce a synthetic fuel

Abstract

The present invention relates to production of fuels from carbonaceous material and biomass. In some examples, the carbonaceous material is nonpetroleum fossil fuel or petroleum residuals. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method of liquefaction of carbonaceous material and biomass. The method includes providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture including carbonaceous material and biomass. The method also includes subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method of fuel production from carbonaceous material and biomass. The method includes separating the product slurry from the liquefaction, to give a conversion component. The method also includes processing the conversion component, to give a fuel.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of liquefaction of carbonaceous material and biomass, comprising:
 providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture comprising carbonaceous material and biomass; and   subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry;   wherein the carbonaceous material comprises a nonpetroleum fossil fuel or a petroleum refinery residue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises coal, coal tar, wax from a FT process, petroleum refinery residue, vacuum bottoms, tar sand, bitumen, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coal comprises coal powder, pulverized coal, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coal comprises lignite, brown coal, jet coal, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, steel coal, anthracite, graphite, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biomass comprises plant-derived oil, algae-derived oil, biomass pyrolysis oil, waste oil, yellow grease, brown grease, tar, or animal fat. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of carbonaceous material to biomass is about 0.01-10 to 1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture further comprises solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the solvent comprises a carbonaceous material-derived heavy liquid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction comprises direct liquefaction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction comprises contacting the feed mixture with a liquefaction catalyst and hydrogen gas at a temperature of about 200° to about 600° C., at a pressure of about 50 to about 300 atm. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the liquefaction catalyst comprises a cobalt-molybdenum catalyst. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hydrogen gas is provided from a supply integrated in the method. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the pressure during the liquefaction is about 150 to about 250 atm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the temperature during liquefaction is about 400° to about 500° C. 
     
     
         15 . A method of fuel production from carbonaceous material and biomass, comprising:
 performing the method of  claim 1 ;   separating the product slurry, to give a conversion component; and   processing the conversion component, to give a fuel.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method is substantially or fully integrated with respect to the fuel production. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein separating the product slurry comprises distilling, wherein the conversion comprises at least part of the distillate from the distilling. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein processing the distillate comprises:
 hydrotreating the conversion component, to give a hydrotreated material;   hydrogenating the hydrotreated material, to give a hydrogenated material;   optionally isomerizing at least some of the hydrotreated material, to give an isomerized material;   optionally aromatizing at least some of the hydrotreated material, to give an aromatized material; and   blending the isomerized material and the aromatized material, to give the fuel;   wherein at least one of isomerizing and aromatizing is performed, or both isomerizing and aromatizing are performed.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein isomerizing is performed. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein aromatizing is performed. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein both isomerizing and aromatizing are performed. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fuel comprises a liquid transportation fuel. 
     
     
         23 . A method of liquefaction of coal and biomass, comprising:
 providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture comprising coal and biomass, the biomass comprising plant-derived oil, algae-derived oil, biomass pyrolysis oil, waste oil, yellow grease, brown grease, tar, or animal fat; and   subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry, the liquefaction comprising contacting the feed mixture with a liquefaction catalyst and hydrogen gas at a temperature of about 350° to about 500° C., at a pressure of about 150 to about 250 atm.   
     
     
         24 . A method of fuel production from coal and biomass, comprising:
 providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture comprising coal and biomass, the biomass comprising plant-derived oil, algae-derived oil, biomass pyrolysis oil, waste oil, yellow grease, brown grease, tar, or animal fat;   subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry;   distilling the product slurry, to give a distillate; and   hydrotreating the distillate, to give a hydrotreated material;   hydrogenating the hydrotreated material, to give a hydrogenated material;   isomerizing at least some of the hydrotreated material, to give an isomerized material;   aromatizing at least some of the hydrotreated material, to give an aromatized material; and   blending at least some of the isomerized material and at least some of the aromatized material, to give a fuel.