Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

David C Long

Michel A Daage

Paul Joseph Berlowitz

Paul D Oldenburg

Virginia M Roberts

James Ronald Bielenberg

Halou Oumar-Mahamat

Russell John Koveal

Frank Hershkowitz

Rocco A Fiato

Gabor Kiss

Paul K Ladwig

Claude C Culross

Leroy Russell Clavenna

Min Chang

Stephen J Hsia

James Dirickson Mumford

David G Hammond

Costas A Coulaloglou

Thomas M Holden

Trikur Anantharaman Ramanarayaman

Systems and methods are provided for enhancing the integration of processes for recovering products from algae-derived biomass. The enhanced process integration allows for increased use of input streams and other reagents that are derived from renewable sources. This increases the overall renewable character of the products extracted from the algae-derived biomass. The process integration can include exchange of input streams or energy between an algae processing system and a system for processing non-algal biomass. One example of improving process integration is using oxygenates that are generated in a renewable manner as a reagent for enhancing the algae processing system.

Integrated bioprocessing for fuel production

Biomass based feeds are processed under hydrothermal treatment conditions to produce a hydrocarbon liquid product and a solids portion. The hydrothermal treatment is performed in the presence of catalyst particles. The presence of the heterogeneous catalyst can modify the nature of the hydrocarbon products produced from the hydrothermal treatment. After the hydrothermal treatment, the catalyst particles can be separated from the algae-based solids, to allow for recycle of the catalyst particles.

Catalyst recovery in hydrothermal treatment of biomass

Biomass based feeds are processed under hydrothermal treatment conditions, e.g., to produce a hydrocarbon liquid product and a solids portion. The hydrothermal treatment is performed in the presence of a dissolved catalyst or catalyst precursor. The presence of the dissolved catalyst or catalyst precursor can modify the nature of the hydrocarbon products produced from the hydrothermal treatment.

Catalytic hydrothermal treatment of biomass

Biomass based feeds are processed under hydrothermal treatment conditions, e.g., to produce a hydrocarbon liquid product and a solids portion. The hydrothermal treatment can be performed in the presence of heterogeneous catalyst particles that can optionally include a catalyst metal or metal salt. The presence of the heterogeneous catalyst can modify the nature of the hydrocarbon products produced from the hydrothermal treatment.

Hydrothermal treatment of biomass with heterogeneous catalyst

A filter system for use in a three-phase slurry reactor is provided. The filter system comprises one or more bundles of a plurality of filter elements for separating liquid from a mixture of liquid and solids contained in the reactor. Each filter bundle is connected to a product transfer conduit transporting separated liquid to a location outside of and downstream from the reactor. The transfer conduit is provided with means for backflushing the filter bundle and guard filter means.

Product filtration system for slurry reactors

A method for separating and filtering solid particles from a hydrocarbon slurry liquid includes two or more filter sections in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon slurry. At least one filter section is comprised of one or more filter elements having a mean pore size of less than 10 microns, and at least one other section is comprised of one or more filter elements having a mean pore size of 10 microns or greater. The small pore filter (less than 10 microns) will exclude all or substantially all of the smaller catalyst fines produced by catalyst particle attrition. The liquid product removed from the small pore filters will be substantially free of particulates. The large pore filters (10 microns or greater) will exclude larger catalyst particles, but will allow the smaller fines to pass. The liquid product removed from the large pore filters will contain the fines generated from catalyst particle attrition.

Filtration system for slurry hydrocarbon synthesis process using both small and large pore filter elements

Linear alpha olefins having from four to twenty carbon atoms and low amounts of oxygenates are synthesized, by producing a synthesis gas containing H and CO from natural gas and passing it over a non-shifting cobalt catalyst at reaction conditions of temperature, % CO conversion, and gas feed H :CO mole ratio land water vapor pressure, effective for the mathematical expression 200&minus;0.6T&plus;0.03P &minus;0.6X &minus;8(H :CO) to have a numerical value greater than or equal to 50. This process can be integrated into a conventional Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis process producing fuels and lubricant oils.

Linear alpha olefins from natural gas-derived synthesis gas over a nonshifting cobalt catalyst

There is provided an improved system and process for the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon monoxide to form a mixture of hydrocarbons utilizing a plurality of reactors in series. Synthesis gas entering the system under pressure is partially converted in at least one initial stage reactor and the effluent therefrom introduced into a final stage reactor. In the at least one initial stage reactor, a portion of the catalyst is continuously or periodically removed with some hydrocarbons and treated to renew, or renew and enhance it, and returned. The treatment comprises reducing the hydrocarbon context of the withdrawn mixture, heating to a temperature above at least one of the metals in the catalyst thereby forming a melt, removing any slag forming on the melt, cooling the melt and reducing the particle size of the resulting solid to a fine powder of renewed catalyst. The renewed catalyst may be treated to further enhance its properties by slurry low temperature oxidation or passivated before being returned to the at least one initial stage reactor. The final stage reactor, which has a catalyst of the same type or differing from that in the at least one initial stage reactor, receives a feed therefrom having a substantially reduced level of impurities, thereby enhancing the efficiency and longevity of the catalyst contained therein. The system can further employ at least one intermediate stage reactor configured so that all stages are operably connected in series and all reactors with a given stage are operably connected in parallel.

Fischer-tropsch process

A method is disclosed for renewing the activity of a Dispersed Active Metal (DAM) catalyst during operation of a reactor wherein the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide to produce a mixture of hydrocarbons is being carried out comprising withdrawing a mixture of hydrocarbons and a portion of the DAM catalyst, reducing the hydrocarbon content thereof, heating the mixture above the melting temperature of at least one of the metals of the DAM to form a melt, removing any slag that forms on the melt, cooling the melt to form a solid, reducing the particle size thereof to form a renewed particulate DAM catalyst, which is then returned to the reactor. Wherein the DAM catalyst is a Raney catalyst, a leachable metal is added to the reduced hydrocarbon mixture or the melt under non-oxidizing conditions and, after the solid is reduced to a fine particle size, extracting the leachable metal with caustic. The activity of the DAM may be modified or enhanced during the process by the addition of promoter metals, or prior to being returned to the reactor, by slurry low temperature oxidation followed by reduction at elevated temperature, and may further be enhanced by being passivated prior to being returned to the reactor. The catalyst may be withdrawn and replaced periodically or continuously during the operation of the reactor.

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Ashburn, VA, United States of America

David C Long