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Catalytic cracking process of a lipid-containing feedstock

a catalytic cracking and lipid-containing technology, applied in bio-feedstocks, hydrocarbon oil treatment products, fuels, etc., can solve the problems of low yield, limited selectivity, and high cost of commercial operation of using a catalyst comprising 100 wt % zeolite, etc., to achieve high growth rate, reduce cost, and reduce cost

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-06-21
SHELL OIL CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a process for catalytic cracking of a lipid-containing feedstock, which involves contacting the feedstock with a cracking catalyst at a high temperature to obtain a product stream. The product stream is then separated into different hydrocarbon fractions, with one of these fractions being gasoline. The gasoline produced has low sulfur content and can be used as a fuel. The process is advantageous because it can use microalgae, which grow quickly and have a high carbon dioxide absorption capacity, to produce valuable products. The process also allows for adjustment of the properties of the product stream, such as improving the octane rating of gasoline. The hydrocarbon feedstock provides a readily available source of hydrogen to assist in eliminating oxygen present in the lipids derived from microalgae. The polar nature of the lipids may also improve solubility of other components.

Problems solved by technology

However, the products obtained through this cracking process predominantly include a mixture of C2 to C5 olefins and need additional chemical treatment to produce usable fuel products.
However, these references disclose using a cracking temperature of below 450° C., and only yield products in low yields and with limited selectivity.
In addition, the use of a catalyst comprising 100 wt % zeolite is too expensive for commercial operation.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

experiment 1

[0049]A batch of marine microalgae of species Chlorella was partially dried and milled. Lipids were then extracted from the marine microalgae using toluene as a solvent in a solvent extraction process. The extracted lipids were analysed online using gas chromatography (GC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and were found to have the following distribution:

TABLE 1Extracted lipids from Chlorella microalgaeComponentWeight %Phospholipids4.5% Mono-glyceride 4%Di-glyceride24%Tri-glyceride58%Free Fatty Acid 9%Total95%

[0050]A blend of 20 wt % of these extracted lipids and 80 wt % of a mineral oil derived vacuum gas oil was mixed. The Blend had the following metal content (see table 2 in mg / kg as determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).

TABLE 2metal content in a blend of 20 wt % of extracted lipids with80 wt % a mineral oil derived vacuum gas oil (in mg / kg)Al50Ca73Fe50Mg635Mn10Na92P370Si52

experiment 2

[0051]The lipids obtained from experiment 1 were blended with mineral Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO) to form a first batch of the lipid-containing feedstock comprising 20% extracted lipids from microalgae and 80% VGO (by weight). The first batch was subjected to catalytic cracking in a small-scale fluidised catalytic cracking reactor. A commercial equilibrium catalyst comprising ultra stable zeolite Y (USY) in an amorphous alumina matrix was used as the cracking catalyst. The reaction temperature was kept at 500° C., and the pressure was maintained at 1.1 bar (0.11 MPa). For the feedstock containing 20 wt % extracted lipids from microalgae and 80 wt % VGO a catalyst to oil ratio of about 8 was used. The product stream obtained was separated in a small-scale fractionator and analysed online using gas chromatography (GC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of the experiment with regard to product distribution at 67 wt % conversion are provided in Table 3.

TABLE...

experiment 3

[0053]To establish the efficacy of the cracking process of the invention, the product stream was compared with the products obtained from the cracking of other conventionally used feedstock. VGO was used as the second batch and a blend of 20% rapeseed oil and 80% VGO was used as the third batch. The experiments were conducted in the same fluidised catalytic cracking reactor and under the same conditions as were used in experiment 2, except that a different catalyst to oil ratio may be used to achieve the constant conversion rate of 67 wt %. A comparison of the product stream obtained from experiments 2 and 3 is provided in Table 4.

TABLE 4Product yields at constant 67% conversion (wt %)First batch:Second BatchThird20% lipidsConventionalbatch: 20%marine algae / cracking feedstockrapeseed80% VGObatch: VGO onlyoil / 80% VGODry gas1.91.92.0Propylene2.83.33.5LPG12.013.013.0Gasoline43.546.445.0LCO25.226.924.6HCO3.23.93.5Slurry Oil1.752.22.1Coke9.05.86.9

[0054]The product yield of each batch of ...

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Abstract

A process for catalytic cracking of a lipid-containing feedstock is provided. The lipid-containing feedstock contains lipids derived from microalgae and a hydrocarbon feedstock. The lipid-containing feedstock is contacted with at least one cracking catalyst at a temperature of at least 450° C., to obtain a product stream; and separating at least one hydrocarbon fraction from the product stream.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a process for catalytic cracking of a lipid-containing feedstock.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Various processes for catalytic cracking of heavy hydrocarbons are known in the art. In these processes, heavy hydrocarbons, such as heavy oils and vacuum residues, are brought in contact with a cracking catalyst and are converted into lighter products having lower boiling points. Exemplary descriptions of such processes have been provided for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,790 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,591.[0003]However, with the diminishing supply of crude oil, use of renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly important for the production of chemicals and fuels. Plant and animal biomass, are being used to produce liquid and gaseous fuels through the catalytic cracking process. One of the advantages of using biomass is that the CO2 balance is more favourable as compared with the conventional hydrocarbon feedstock.[00...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): C10L1/18
CPCC10L1/18C10G1/086C10G3/42C10L1/143C10G11/05C10G2300/1014C10G2400/02C10G3/49Y02P30/20
Inventor SCHAVERIEN, COLIN JOHNWAY, NICOLAAS WILHELMUS JOSEPH
Owner SHELL OIL CO
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