Battelle Memorial Institute

Archer Daniels Midland Company

Genifuel Corporation

Andrew J Schmidt

Todd R Hart

Richard T Hallen

Alan H Zacher

Gary G Neuenschwander

Daniel B Anderson

Rick J Orth

James A Franz

Lesley J Snowden-Swan

Justin M Billing

Mikhail S Alnajjar

John G Frye

Todd A Werpy

Douglas Charles Elliott

Charles Abbas

Kyle E Beery

Anne M Rammelsberg

Michael R Thorson

Eric V Alderson

Catherine J Kim

James R Oyler

Gary D Maupin

David B Spry

Leslie J Rotness, Jr

Tood R Hart

Douglas C Elliott

A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system has a biomass slurry flow path with a first pump and a first heat exchanger network downstream of the first pump. The first heat exchanger network includes plurality of heat exchangers in a parallel, series, and/or series-parallel flow arrangement. The biomass slurry flow path extends through cold flow sides of the heat exchangers of the first heat exchanger network. The biomass slurry flow path includes a second pump downstream of the first heat exchanger network, and a second heat exchanger network downstream of the second pump. The biomass slurry flow path extends through cold flow sides of the heat exchangers of the second heat exchanger network. A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactor is downstream of the second heat exchanger network. Heat transfer liquid in a heat transfer liquid circuit flows through hot flow sides of the heat exchangers of the second heat exchanger network.

Hydrothermal liquefaction system with heat exchanger network

A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a first pump in fluid communication with the slurry source and configured to pressurize a biomass slurry stream from the slurry source to a first pressure, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the first pump to a first temperature, a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to pressurize a slurry stream received from the first heat exchanger to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the second pump to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a HTL reactor configured to produce biocrude from a slurry stream received from the second heat exchanger.

Hydrothermal liquefaction system

Embodiments of a method for producing bio-oil include hydrothermal liquefaction of a biomass (e.g., a lignocellulosic biomass) feedstock to provide a process stream comprising crude oil and an aqueous fraction. The process stream is catalytically upgraded by contact with a sulfided-ruthenium catalyst, in the absence of added hydrogen, at a temperature and pressure effective to reduce an oxygen content of the crude oil, reduce a nitrogen content of the crude oil, reduce a total acid number of the crude oil, increase a H:C mole ratio of the crude oil, reduce a density of the crude oil, reduce a moisture content of the crude oil, reduce viscosity of the crude oil, or any combination thereof, thereby producing an upgraded oil and an upgraded aqueous fraction, which are subsequently separated. The catalytic upgrading process may be a plug-flow process and/or may be performed at or near liquefaction conditions.

Catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction for bio-oil production

A system and process are described for clean separation of biocrudes and water by-products from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) product mixtures of organic and biomass-containing feedstocks at elevated temperatures and pressures. Inorganic compound solids are removed prior to separation of biocrude and water by-product fractions to minimize formation of emulsions that impede separation. Separation may be performed at higher temperatures that reduce heat loss and need to cool product mixtures to ambient. The present invention thus achieves separation efficiencies not achieved in conventional HTL processing.

System and process for efficient separation of biocrudes and water in a hydrothermal liquefaction system

Liquefaction processes are provided that can include: providing a biomass slurry solution having a temperature of at least 300&#xb0; C. at a pressure of at least 2000 psig; cooling the solution to a temperature of less than 150&#xb0; C.; and depressurizing the solution to release carbon dioxide from the solution and form at least part of a bio-oil foam. Liquefaction processes are also provided that can include: filtering the biomass slurry to remove particulates; and cooling and depressurizing the filtered solution to form the bio-oil foam. Liquefaction systems are provided that can include: a heated biomass slurry reaction zone maintained above 300&#xb0; C. and at least 2000 psig and in continuous fluid communication with a flash cooling/depressurization zone maintained below 150&#xb0; C. and between about 125 psig and about atmospheric pressure. Liquefaction systems are also provided that can include a foam/liquid separation system. Liquefaction process intermediate compositions are provided that can include a bio-oil foam phase separated from an aqueous biomass solids solution.

Liquefaction processes and systems and liquefaction process intermediate compositions

The invention includes methods of processing plant material by adding water to form a mixture, heating the mixture, and separating a liquid component from a solid-comprising component. At least one of the liquid component and the solid-comprising component undergoes additional processing. Processing of the solid-comprising component produces oils, and processing of the liquid component produces one or more of glycerol, ethylene glycol, lactic acid and propylene glycol. The invention includes a process of forming glycerol, ethylene glycol, lactic acid and propylene glycol from plant matter by adding water, heating and filtering the plant matter. The filtrate containing starch, starch fragments, hemicellulose and fragments of hemicellulose is treated to form linear poly-alcohols which are then cleaved to produce one or more of glycerol, ethylene glycol, lactic acid and propylene glycol. The invention also includes a method of producing free and/or complexed sterols and stanols from plant material.

Methods of producing compounds from plant materials

Methods of producing compounds from plant material

A method for selective hydrolysis of the hemicellulose component of a biomass material. The selective hydrolysis produces water-soluble small molecules, particularly monosaccharides. One embodiment includes solubilizing at least a portion of the hemicellulose and subsequently hydrolyzing the solubilized hemicellulose to produce at least one monosaccharide. A second embodiment includes solubilizing at least a portion of the hemicellulose and subsequently enzymatically hydrolyzing the solubilized hemicellulose to produce at least one monosaccharide. A third embodiment includes solubilizing at least a portion of the hemicellulose by heating the biomass material to greater than 110&deg; C. resulting in an aqueous portion that includes the solubilized hemicellulose and a water insoluble solids portion and subsequently separating the aqueous portion from the water insoluble solids portion. A fourth embodiment is a method for making a composition that includes cellulose, at least one protein and less than about 30 weight % hemicellulose, the method including solubilizing at least a portion of hemicellulose present in a biomass material that also includes cellulose and at least one protein and subsequently separating the solubilized hemicellulose from the cellulose and at least one protein.

Hydrolysis of biomass material

Growing community of inventors

Richland, WA, United States of America

Andrew J Schmidt