System and method for the production of jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline from lipid-containing feedstocks

Abstract

The production of jet fuel, diesel and gasoline components from lipid rich biomass is described. This process includes a hydrothermal pyrolysis step followed by catalytic conversion of biovapors to the fuel product. Biochar is a co-product of the process. This process avoids capital intensive investment in oil extraction technologies, and instead incorporates the oil extraction and oil conversion in one step.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for the production of jet fuel, diesel and/or gasoline components from lipid rich biomass comprising:
 a) pyrolyzing lipid rich biomass in the presence of water to produce a biovapor and biochar;   b) catalytically converting the biovapor to a biofuel having at least 15 wt % paraffin content; and   c) collecting the biofuel as a liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 d) producing C1-C5 noncondensable light gases in one or both of the pyrolyzing and catalytically converting steps.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , in which lipid rich biomass includes at least one of edible seeds, non-edible seeds, algae, and cellulose-containing material. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  in which industrial grease or animal fat is pyrolyzed with the lipid rich biomass. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3  in which edible seed may be selected from one or more of the following plant sources: soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower, palm. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3  in which the non-edible seed may be selected from at least one of: jatropha and castor. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  in which lipid rich biomass comprises more than 10 wt % lipids. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  in which lipid rich biomass comprises at least 20 wt % lipids. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the lipid rich biomass comprises hydrocarbons, mono- and triglycerides, and fatty acids the range of C12-C40. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the biovapor comprises less than 40 wt % oxygen. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the biofuel having at least 15 wt % paraffin content comprises having at least 15 wt % C6-C20 paraffins. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the biofuel comprises at least 20 wt % paraffin content. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the biofuel comprises less than 50 wt % aromatic content. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biovapors are introduced into a catalytic reactor without condensation. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14  in which the catalytic conversion is performed using at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting of dehydration catalyst, decarboxylation catalyst and decarbonylation catalyst. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  in which the dehydration catalyst is at last one catalyst selected from the group consisting of silica alumina catalyst, acid catalyst, ion exchange catalyst, zeolite catalyst. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic conversion is carried out in the absence of a hydrogen-rich co-reagent. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the hydrogen-rich co-reagent is one or more compounds selected from the group of alcohols and ethers. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the biofuel is a jet fuel component that contains at least one compound in the range of C6 to C18. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the biofuel is a diesel component that contains at least one compound in the range of C8 to C20. 
     
     
         21 . The method according  claim 1  in which the biofuel further comprises a gasoline component that contains at least one aromatic compound in the range of C6 to C12. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the lipid rich biomass is pyrolyzed at a temperature between 200° C. and 800° C. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1  in which biochar retains 10-50% of the carbon of the lipid rich biomass. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the water weight is 10-500 wt % of the lipid rich biomass weight. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24  in which the input water attains supercritical condition. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the pyrolysis is performed at a pressure between 1 and 200 bars. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel yield is greater than 20 wt % of feedstock carbon input. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel yield is greater than 30 wt % of feedstock carbon input.