Process of upgrading a pyrolysis oil and upgrading solution used therein

Abstract

A process for upgrading a pyrolysis oil comprising treating the pyrolysis oil with an upgrading solution to provide a mixture comprising an extract phase and a raffinate phase, wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent, and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof, and an upgraded pyrolysis oil prepared by said process.

1 . A process for upgrading a pyrolysis oil comprising treating the pyrolysis oil with an upgrading solution to provide a mixture comprising an extract phase and a raffinate phase, wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent, and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         2 . A process for producing an upgraded pyrolysis oil product comprising:
 (i) treating a pyrolysis oil with an upgrading solution, wherein the upgrading solution comprises an polar organic solvent;   (ii) mixing the pyrolysis oil and the upgrading solution and then allowing the mixture to form two phases consisting of a raffinate phase and an extract phase, and   (iii) separating the raffinate phase from the extract phase to yield an upgraded pyrolysis oil product;   wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         3 . A process according to any one of  claims 1 and 2  wherein the upgrading solution comprises at least one polar organic solvent with a dipole moment (D) of about 1.5 or more. 
     
     
         4 . A process according to  any one of the preceding claims  wherein the upgrading solution has a specific gravity (20/4) of about 0.95 or more. 
     
     
         5 . A process according to any one of  claims 1 to 4  wherein the upgrading solution comprises NMP and water. 
     
     
         6 . A process according to any one of  claims 1 to 4  wherein the upgrading solution comprises at least about 50% wt. of one of sulfolane or propylene carbonate. 
     
     
         7 . A process according to  any one of the preceding claims  wherein the upgrading solution further comprises one or more of another solvent, an acid, a base or organometallic compound. 
     
     
         8 . A process according to  any one of the preceding claims  wherein the ratio of pyrolysis oil to upgrading solution is about 95:5 to about 10:90. 
     
     
         9 . A process according to  any one of the preceding claims  wherein prior to treating the pyrolysis oil with the upgrading solution, the pyrolysis oil is treated with an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 9  wherein the aqueous solution of about pH 5 to about pH 10. 
     
     
         11 . A process according to  any one of the preceding claims  wherein prior to treating the pyrolysis oil with the upgrading solution, the pyrolysis oil is treated with a hydrocarbon fluid. 
     
     
         14 . A process according to claim  12  wherein the hydrocarbon comprises one or more hydrocarbons selected from C 5 -C 16  alkanes and C 5 -C 16  alkenes. 
     
     
         15 . A process according to  any one of the preceding claims  comprising the further step of treating the raffinate phase with an absorbent. 
     
     
         16 . A process according to  claim 15  wherein the absorbent is zeolite molecular sieves 13× or zeolite Na—Y. 
     
     
         17 . A process for producing an upgraded pyrolysis oil product comprising:
 (i)(a) treating a pyrolysis oil with an upgrading solution, wherein the upgrading solution comprises an polar organic solvent;   (i)(b) optionally treating the product of (i)(a) with a hydrocarbon fluid;   (ii) mixing the mixture obtained from (i)(a), or optionally (i)(b), and then allowing the mixture to form at least two phases comprising a raffinate phase and an extract phase, and   (iii) separating the raffinate phase from the extract phase;   (iv) treating the separated raffinate phase of step (iii) with an absorbent;
 wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         18 . A process according to  claim 17  wherein the upgrading solution comprises NMP and water. 
     
     
         19 . A process according to  claim 17 or 18  wherein the hydrocarbon fluid comprises one or more hydrocarbons selected from C 5 -C 16  alkanes and C 5 -C 16  alkenes. 
     
     
         20 . A process according to any one of  claims 17 to 19  wherein the absorbent is molecular sieves 13×. 
     
     
         21 . Use of an upgrading solution for decreasing the olefin content of a pyrolysis oil, wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent, and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         22 . Use of an upgrading solution for decreasing the solid residue content of a pyrolysis oil, wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent; and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . Use of an upgrading solution for increasing the stability of a pyrolysis oil, wherein upgrading solution comprises wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent; and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . An upgraded pyrolysis oil obtainable by a process according to any one of  claims 1 to 20 .