Rti Resource Transforms International Ltd.

Ifp Energies Nouvelles

The University of Waterloo

Energy, Mines & Resources - Canada

Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation

Radlein, Desmond

Dynamotive Technologies Corporation

Desmond Radlein

Jan Piskorz

Piotr Majerski

Donald S Scott

Alain Quignard

Girard Simons

Joe Zhou

Klaus H Oehr

The present invention relates to the field of biomass derived fuels. It further relates to thermochemical production of liquids (biooils) from biomass. Specifically the present invention relates to methods of upgrading biooil. More specifically it relates to a method for upgrading biooil comprising contacting a dispersed mixture of hydrocarbon liquids, biooil, and partially upgraded biooil, with a transition metal containing catalyst and hydrogen gas at a temperature of around 330&#xb0; C. and a pressure of about 1700 psi (11.7 MPa) for a period of time sufficient to reduce the oxygen content of the biooil such that it separates on cooling into an aqueous phase and an organic phase, and optionally, to further subject the organic phase to hydrotreating, hydrocracking or catalytic cracking to produce a mixture of hydrocarbons boiling in the range of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Methods of upgrading biooil to transportation grade hydrocarbon fuels

A thermolysis process for the production of volatiles for an external combustor or liquefaction of biomass solids in which specific and previously unrecognized conditions are employed. The thermolysis is carried out in a single fluidized bed of inert material operating at near atmospheric pressure, relatively low temperature, long solids and gas residence times and moderate heating rates. The distribution of the thermolysis products among, solid (char) and gases under these conditions is unique. The product effluent can be either quenched to produce a high liquid yield in addition to a low char yield or the volatile effluent can be used in either the same combustor or a second combustor to produce heat energy a particularly high efficiency system. In using a quencher, the quenched liquid is of similar composition to those obtained by so called fast pyrolysis processes of the prior art. The specified conditions are such as to allow production of liquids in high yields in an energy efficient manner. The low severity of the conditions in comparison with previous approaches allows simplified process design and scale-up leading to lower capital and operating costs as well as easier control.

Energy efficient liquefaction of biomaterials by thermolysis

A method is provided for reducing the nitrogen oxide content of a flue gas produced by the combustion of fuel by introducing a nitrogen oxide removal agent into either the nitrogen oxide contaminated flue gas or the fuel to be combusted. The nitrogen oxide removal agent is the reaction product of a carbon compound in a pyrolysis liquor and a nitrogen compound such as ammonia, ammonium hydroxide or urea. The carbon compound is selected from carboxylic acids, phenols, esters, aldehydes and ketones. The pyrolysis liquor is derived from a feed stock containing cellulose, lignin or starch.

Reduction of nitrogen oxides

A thermolysis process for liquefaction of biomass solids in which specific and previously unrecognized conditions are employed. The thermolysis is carried out in a single fluidized bed of inert material operating at near atmospheric pressure, relatively low temperature, long solids and gas residence times and moderate heating rates. The distribution of the thermolysis products among liquid (bio-oil), solid (char) and gases under these conditions is unique. In particular, contrary to the prior art, both high liquid and low char yields are obtained. Furthermore the liquid is of similar composition to those obtained by so called fast pyrolysis processes of the prior art. The specified conditions are such as to allow production of liquids in high yields in an energy efficient manner. The low severity of the conditions in comparison with previous approaches allows simplified process design and scaleup leading to lower capital and operating costs as well as easier control.

Process for the thermal conversion of biomass to liquids

A process is described for the production of anhydrosugars such as levoglucosan (1,6-anhydro-.beta.-D-glucopyranose), from liquids obtained by the fast thermal pyrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosics or celluloses. In this process, the pyrolytic liquids containing the anhydrosugars are produced with a substantially reduced amount of lignin-derived components by using as feedstock materials which have been previously delignified and then pretreated, or by preferential oxidation of the lignin fraction of a pretreated biomass during pyrolysis. The preparation from pretreated biomass of pyrolytic liquors from which the lignin derived chemical products of fast pyrolysis are absent or in low concentrations permits simpler and more economical recovery of crystalline levoglucosan and other anhydrosugars, or a more economical preparation of readily fermentable aqueous sugar solutions therefrom. A new procedure for the recovery of crystalline levoglucosan from such solutions is described.

Process for the production of anhydrosugars from lignin and cellulose

Growing community of inventors

Waterloo, Canada

Desmond Radlein