Integrated process for the production of renewable drop-in fuels

Abstract

A process for producing renewable biofuels from biomass is provided wherein a bio-oil containing stream is hydrotreated in an integrated system which uses streams and components generated or obtained from the biomass treatment and conversion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for producing a renewable fuel from biomass, the process comprising:
 (a) converting biomass in a biomass conversion unit in the presence of a biomass conversion catalyst and separating the converted biomass into a fluid phase and a solid phase;   (b) separating the fluid phase into a non-condensable gas phase, a renewable bio-oil and process water;   (c) fractionating the renewable bio-oil into a water stream, a full range bio-naphtha stream and a topped bio-oil stream, wherein the topped bio-oil stream comprises C 6  or higher oxygenates;   (d) molecularly recombining the oxygenates of C 5  or lower within the process water, the full range bio-naphtha stream and the water stream to produce a recovered organic stream (ROS) comprising C 6  or greater oxygenates and a clear aqueous stream;   (e) forming a slurry catalyst mix from the ROS and a soluble hydroprocessing active phase;   (f) feeding at least a portion of biomass conversion catalyst and the catalyst mix into a slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor;   (g) forming in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor a solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst comprising atomically dispersoids of the active phase onto a support comprising the biomass conversion catalyst;   (h) feeding the topped bio-oil stream into the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor and subjecting the topped bio-oil stream to hydrogenation in the presence of the solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst; and   (i) obtaining renewable fuels originating from hydrogenated topped bio-oil stream.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble hydroprocessing active phase is an organometallic salt selected from the group of acetylacetonates, naphthenates, oxalates, tartrates, or the like of Group VIB and/or Group VIIIB transition metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the topped bio-oil stream is subjected to hydrocracking and hydrogenation in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the biomass conversion catalyst of step (g) is regenerated biomass conversion catalyst. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the biomass conversion catalyst of step (g) is fresh biomass conversion catalyst. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following conditions prevail:
 (a) the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is operated at a temperature between from about 300° C. to about 450° C.;   (b) the pressure in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is between from about 1500 psi to about 3000 psi;   (c) the space velocity within the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is between from about 0.05 to about 10 h −1 ; or   (d) a sulfiding agent is present.   
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising separating a non-condensable gas from the fluid phase of step (a) and feeding a liquefied bio-naphtha originating from the separated non-condensable gas into the recombinator. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , further comprising separating an incompressible gas from the non-condensable gas. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising recycling at least a portion of the incompressible gas into the biomass conversion unit. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising reforming at least a portion of the incompressible gas to hydrogen. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , further comprising feeding at least a portion of the reformed hydrogen into the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising separating at least a portion of the stream exiting the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor into a solid stream, a liquid stream and hydroprocessing gas. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising recovering solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst from the solids stream and recycling the recovered solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst into the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising fractionating the liquid stream and recovering renewable fuel therefrom. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the renewable fuel comprises renewable gasoline, renewable diesel and/or renewable fuel oil. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the renewable fuel comprises renewable jet fuel. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15 , further comprising recycling at least a portion of the renewable fuel oil to the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15 , further comprising feeding the renewable gasoline into a reformer which contains incompressible gas originating from the non-compressible gas isolated from the fluid phase of step (a). 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising producing hydrogen in the reformer and feeding at least a portion of the produced hydrogen into the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor. 
     
     
         20 . A process for enhancing the recovery of renewable fuels from biomass, the process comprising:
 (a) subjecting a treated biomass feedstream to cracking in a fluidized catalytic cracking unit in the presence of a biomass conversion catalyst;   (b) separating a renewable oil phase from the fluid stream;   (c) fractionating the renewable oil phase into a full range bio-naphtha stream and a topped bio-oil stream comprising C 6  or greater oxygenates;   (d) feeding the topped bio-oil stream into a slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor;   (e) adding a metal or a metal containing compound comprising the active phase of a solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst to the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor and depositing the active phase onto a solid support;   (f) subjecting the topped bio-oil stream to hydrogenation; and   (g) obtaining renewable fuels from a stream originating from the hydrogenated topped bio-oil stream.   
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein a portion of the clear water from the step d) of the process of  claim 1  is used for treating the biomass in the feed system. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the topped bio-oil stream is subjected to hydrocracking and hydrogenation in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the solid support of the solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst is the biomass conversion catalyst. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the biomass conversion catalyst is regenerated biomass conversion catalyst. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the biomass conversion catalyst is fresh biomass conversion catalyst. 
     
     
         26 . A process for producing a renewable fuel from biomass, the process comprising:
 (a) converting biomass in a biomass conversion unit in the presence of a biomass conversion catalyst and separating the converted biomass into a fluid phase and a solid phase;   (b) separating the fluid phase into an organic-enriched aqueous phase and non-condensable gas;   (c) separating a bio-oil stream and an aqueous stream from the organic-enriched aqueous phase;   (d) separating incompressible gases from the non-condensable gas;   (e) reforming hydrogen from the incompressible gases;   (f) feeding at least a portion of the reformed hydrogen into the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor;   (g) feeding the bio-oil stream into the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor and subjecting the bio-oil containing fraction to hydrogenation; and   (h) obtaining a renewable fuel originating from the hydrogenated organic stream.   
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein the non-condensable gases are selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein the metal or metal containing compound comprising the active phase is an organometallic salt selected from the group of acetylacetonates, naphthenates, oxalates, tartrates, or the like of Group VIB and/or Group VIIIB transition metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the solid support comprises biomass conversion catalyst originating from and entrained within the fluid phase 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the solid support comprises mineral matter originating from the biomass. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the following conditions prevail:
 (a) the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is operated at a temperature between from about 300° C. to about 450° C.;   (b) the pressure in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is between from about 1500 psi to about 3000 psi;   (c) the space velocity within the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is between from about 0.05 to about 10 h −1 , or   (d) a sulfiding agent is present.   
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 (a) subjecting the bio-oil stream separated from the aqueous stream recovered in step (c) to fractionation into a full range bio-naphtha stream and a topped bio-oil stream comprising C 6  or greater oxygenates;   (b) feeding the topped bio-oil stream into a slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor; wherein a metal or a metal containing compound comprising the active phase of a solid-phase slurry dispersed catalyst fed to the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is deposited onto a solid support; and said topped bio-oil stream is subjected to hydrogenation and hydrocracking in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor; and   (c) obtaining renewable fuels from hydrogenated topped bio-oil stream hydrogenated in the hydroprocessor reactor.   
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the metal or metal containing compound comprising the active phase is an organometallic salt selected from the group of acetylacetonates, naphthenates, oxalates, tartrates, or the like of Group VIB and/or Group VIIIB transition metals and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein at least a portion of the solid support comprises:
 (a) biomass conversion catalyst originating from and entrained within the fluid phase;   (b) mineral matter originating from the biomass; or   (c) mixtures of (a) and (b).   
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein at least one of the following conditions prevail:
 (a) the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is operated at a temperature between from about 300° C. to about 450° C.;   (b) the pressure in the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is between from about 1500 psi to about 3000 psi;   (c) the space velocity within the slurry-phase hydroprocessor reactor is between from about 0.05 to about 10 h −1 , or   (d) a sulfiding agent is present.