Processes for producing fuels and biofertilizers from biomass and products produced

Abstract

An IBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting biomass to liquid fuels in which a biomass feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. Biomass residues from the direct liquefaction, and optionally additional biomass is pyrolyzed using microwave pyrolysis to produce structured biochar, hydrogen for the liquefaction and upgrading, and CO2 for conversion to algae, including blue green algae (cyanobacteria) in a photobioreactor (PBR). Produced algae and diazotrophic microorganisms are used to produce a biofertilizer that also contains structured biochar. The structured biochar acts as a nucleation agent for the algae in the PBR, as a absorption agent to absorb inorganics from the biomass feed to direct liquefaction or from the liquids produced thereby, and as a water retention agent in the biofertilizer. The ratio of cyanobacteria to diazotrophic microorganisms in the biofertilizer can be selected so as to achieve desired total chemically active carbon and nitrogen contents in the soil for a given crop.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for converting biomass to liquid fuels and/or chemical feedstocks and cyanobacteria based biofertilizer, comprising the steps of:
 a. liquefying a biomass feed by hydroprocessing said feed under conditions and for a time sufficient for producing hydrocarbon liquids; 
 b. upgrading hydrocarbon liquids produced by step a to produce liquid fuels and/or chemical feedstocks; 
 c. producing structured biochar and byproduct CO 2  by microwave pyrolysis of biomass residues produced in step a; 
 d. producing cyanobacteria in a photobioreactor (PBR) with the use of byproduct CO 2  produced by one or both of said direct liquefaction and biochar producing steps; and 
 e. producing a biofertilizer incorporating structured biochar and cyanobacteria produced in steps c and d. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  including controlling the conditions of said pyrolysis such that said structured biochar has an average pore size in the range of 20 to 400 Angstroms. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further including adding diazotrophic microorganisms for inclusion in said biofertilizer. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  further including removing inorganics from the biomass feed prior to said liquefaction or from said hydrocarbon liquids by absorbing said inorganics in structured biochar having an average pore size in the range of 40 to 200 angstroms. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further including incorporating structured biochar having an average pore size in the range of 40 to 200 angstroms and containing absorbed inorganics in said biofertilizer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein said absorbed inorganics include phosphorus, potassium or other metals. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4  further including using structured biochar having an average pore size in the range of 20 to 200 angstroms in the PBR as nucleation sites for the cyanobacteria production. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein step b also produces byproduct ammonia, and further including using at least part of said byproduct ammonia as a feed in step d. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the structured biochar incorporated in said biofertilizer includes structured biochar having an average pore size in the range of 100 to 400 angstroms for use as a moisture retention agent. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the concentration of said structured biochar in said biofertilizer is from 10 up to 50% wt. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein said hydroprocessing conditions include subjecting said biomass to elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of a solvent and a molybdenum containing catalyst. 
     
     
       12. A method for producing a cyanobacteria based biofertilizer, comprising the steps of:
 a. producing structured biochar having an average pore size in the range of 20 to 400 Angstroms by microwave pyrolysis of biomass; 
 b. supplying CO 2  to a photobioreactor (PBR) for producing cyanobacteria; and 
 c. producing a biofertilizer incorporating biochar and cyanobacteria produced in steps a and b, respectively. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  further including adding diazotrophic microorganisms for inclusion in said biofertilizer. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  further including adding structured biochar containing absorbed nutrients to said biofertilizer. 
     
     
       15. A method for enhancing the growth of soybean crops with the use of a biofertilizer, comprising the steps of:
 a. liquefying a biomass feed by hydroprocessing said feed under conditions and for a time sufficient for producing hydrocarbon liquids; 
 b. upgrading hydrocarbon liquids produced by step a to produce liquid fuels, and/or lube blend stocks, and/or chemical feedstocks; 
 c. producing structured biochar having an average pore size in the range of 20 to 400 Angstroms by microwave pyrolysis of biomass residues produced in step a; 
 d. producing a biofertilizer incorporating Rhizobium bacteria and structured biochar produced in step c; 
 e. applying biofertilizer produced in step d to soybean seeds; and 
 f. planting soybean seeds treated in step e. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 12 wherein said PBR contains a portion of said structured biochar during the production of said cyanobacteria. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 further including adding diazotrophic microorganisms to said cyanobacteria for inclusion in said biofertilizer. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 16 wherein said PBR contains an aqueous phase and wherein the structured biochar in the PBR absorbs nutrients from the aqueous phase. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 wherein structured biochar incorporated in said biofertilizer contains said absorbed nutrients.