Systems, methods, and devices for generation of liquid hydrocarbons

Abstract

A method of generating liquid hydrocarbons is provided. The method includes processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock. The method also includes drying the wet feedstock of solid biomass in a dryer to form a dry feedstock of solid biomass. The method further includes determining that the dry feedstock of solid biomass contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value. The method additionally includes introducing, based on the determination that the oil content is above the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor. The method also includes extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass. The method also includes processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

Description

SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FORGENERATION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBONSPRIORITY

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of EP 24202678.9, filed September 25, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the production of fuel sources, and more particularly, to the production of hydrocarbons from municipal solid waste.BACKGROUND

[0003] Crude oil and fossil based fuel sources, such as petroleum, are commonly used in a variety of applications. However, the use and exploration of alternative fuels, derived from sources other than crude oil, has become more commonplace. Alternative fuels may take many forms, such as a solid, a gas, and / or a liquid. For example, one source for alternative fuel being explored is synthesis gas (e.g., syngas). Syngas may include different ratios of a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide that vary based on the manufacturing process and / or the raw materials used to derive the syngas. Fuels derived from syngas may provide a feasible alternative to some crude oil derived fuel sources. Further, certain raw materials may include a variety of components that provide for additional sources of hydrocarbon production to be utilized.SUMMARY

[0004] In a first example embodiment, a method of generating liquid hydrocarbons is provided. The method includes processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock. The method also includes drying the wet feedstock of solid biomass in a dryer to form a dry feedstock of solid biomass. The method further includes determining that the dry feedstock of solid biomass contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value. The method additionally includes introducing, based on the determination that the oil content is above the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor. The method also includes extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass. The method also includes processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0005] In an embodiment, the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0006] In an embodiment, the predetermined threshold value of the oil content is 0.5% by weight.

[0007] In an embodiment, extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass is performed using hexane extraction.

[0008] In an embodiment, extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further comprises: introducing hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0009] In such an embodiment, removing the hexane is performed by evaporating using heat.

[0010] In such an embodiment, evaporating is performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0011] In an embodiment, processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons is performed using hydrocracking.

[0012] In an embodiment, the method further includes introducing the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to a mill, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content less than 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%; milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a milled output of solid particles, where at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; and gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas.

[0013] In such an embodiment, at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a Fischer-Tropsch process using the syngas.

[0014] In such an embodiment, at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a methanol synthesis process.

[0015] In an embodiment, the dry feedstock of solid biomass has a moisture content of no more than 10%.

[0016] In an embodiment, drying the wet feedstock is carried out in a low temperature dryer operating in a range of 70-120 C°.

[0017] In an embodiment, the method further includes sifting the wet feedstock through a screen to remove contents above a predefined size.

[0018] In an embodiment, the dry feedstock is formed of biomass pellets.

[0019] In a second example embodiment, a method of generating liquid hydrocarbons is provided. The method includes processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock. The method also includes preparing a dry feedstock of solid biomass in an upstream process from the wet feedstock, the dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content of at least 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%. The method further includes introducing the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor. The method additionally includes extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass. The method also includes milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass in a mill to form a milled output of solid particles, where at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm. The method also includes gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas. The method also includes processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0020] In an embodiment, extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further includes introducing hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0021] In such an embodiment, removing the hexane is performed by evaporating using heat.

[0022] In such an embodiment, evaporating is performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0023] In an embodiment, processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons is performed using hydrocracking.

[0024] In an embodiment, the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0025] In a third example embodiment, a system for processing biomass is provided. The system includes an autoclave or a pulper configured to process a source of biomass to form a wet feedstock. The system also includes a dryer configured to receive the wet feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content of at least 0.5% and dry the wet feedstock to produce a dry feedstock having a moisture content of at least 2%. The system further includes an extractor configured to receive the dry feedstock and extract a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock. The system additionally includes a mill configured to receive the refined dry feedstock and produce a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm. The system also includes a processor configured to receive the HEFA feedstock and process the HEFA feedstock to produce liquid hydrocarbons.

[0026] In an embodiment, the extractor is further configured to: introduce hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separate the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and remove the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0027] In such an embodiment, the extractor removes the hexane through evaporation using heat.

[0028] In such an embodiment, evaporation is performed using a vacuum evaporator that operates at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0029] In an embodiment, the processor processes the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons using hydrocracking.

[0030] In an embodiment, the dry feedstock is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0031] These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference, when appropriate, to the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0032] Figure 1 depicts a process flow for generating liquid hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment.

[0033] Figure 2 depicts a process flow for producing feedstock for hydrocarbon generation, according to an example embodiment.

[0034] Figure 3 depicts a process flow for producing hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment.

[0035] Figure 4 depicts an example process flow of the process flow shown in Figure 3, according to an example embodiment.

[0036] Figure 5 depicts another example process flow for generating hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment.

[0037] Figure 6 depicts an example method for generating liquid hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment.

[0038] Figure 7 depicts another example method for generating liquid hydrocarbons, according to an example method.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Disclosed herein are example systems, methods, and devices for the generation of liquid hydrocarbons. The disclosed systems, methods, and devices may be utilized in any device or application where the production of hydrocarbons from waste streams may occur. For example, hexane extraction may be used to extract residual oil content from municipal solid waste to ultimately provide a source of alternative fuel, such as in the form of hydrocarbons. The disclosed examples may be used to produce liquid hydrocarbons from municipal waste solids that contain residual oils, which may increase productivity, and / or provide a complimentary hydrocarbon generation source to gasification and thereby allow for a feasible alternative fuel source to fuel sources derived from fossil oil, crude oil, and / or mineral oils for example.

[0040] Figure 1 depicts a block diagram of a process flow 100 for generating liquid hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment. The process flow 100 includes biomass 102, an autoclave 104, a dryer 108, an extractor 130, a processor 142, and liquid hydrocarbons 150. The biomass 102 is input into the autoclave 104 for processing into an output which is then fed to the dryer 108. Output from the dryer 108 serves as an input into an extractor 130 which produces one or more outputs, such as a first output and a second output. The first output may serve as an input into a processor 142 which processes the first output to form the liquid hydrocarbons 150. In some examples, the process flow 100 may be incorporated into a system for generating liquid hydrocarbons from residual oil content in the biomass 102.

[0041] The biomass 102 may be a material input that is suitable for the production of liquid hydrocarbons 150, such as through gasification and / or hydrocracking. For example, the biomass 102 may be derived from waste biomass, such as municipal solid waste. The biomass 102 may include organic matter from forestry products, agricultural products, and / or general household and industry waste. The biomass 102 may be processed in a downstream process (e.g., blocks 104-108) to form a feedstock for the extractor 130. The downstream process may output a feedstock that includes an oil content above a predetermined threshold value, such as an oil content above 0.5% by weight. In some embodiments, determining that the feedstock includes an oil content above a predetermined threshold value is governed by EN ISO 734-1 :2006 or an alternative national implementation. The feedstock may be in pelletized or non-pelletized form. In some examples, the feedstock may be a dry feedstock ora wet feedstock. For example, the feedstock may be a dry feedstock of solid biomass having a moisture content of at least 2% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%. In some examples, the feedstock 102 may undergo additional downstream processing prior to extraction by the extractor 130.

[0042] In the example shown, the biomass 102 is input into the autoclave 104 for processing to break down the biomass 102 into smaller pieces for separation. The autoclave 104 may include a rotatable pressure vessel, a heating system, and a control system for controlling rotation, temperature, and / or pressure of the autoclave 104. For example, the pressure and / or the temperature of the autoclave 104 may be elevated above ambient levels for processing of the biomass 102. In some examples, steam may be injected into the autoclave 104 to assist in elevating the temperature and / or breaking down of the biomass. While exposed to elevated temperatures and / or pressure, the autoclave 104 may rotate about an axis. Rotation of the autoclave 104, combined with the elevated temperature and pressure, may cause the biomass 102 to break down into smaller pieces. The autoclave 104 may, thus, aid in homogenizing the biomass 102 for further downstream processing.

[0043] In some embodiments, because the pressure and / or the temperature of the autoclave 104 may be elevated above ambient levels for processing of the biomass 102, the biomass 102 may be processed in the autoclave 104 at temperatures between 130-180 degrees Celsius and pressures between 3-8 bar gauge pressure. Further, in some embodiments, water may be added to the autoclave 104 in addition to the biomass 102 in order to aid in softening of the biomass within the autoclave 104. In such embodiments, while exposed to the elevated temperatures and / or pressure, the autoclave 104 may rotate about an axis to tumble the biomass 102 together with the added water, which, when combined with the elevated temperature and pressure, may cause the biomass 102 to break down into smaller pieces. In such embodiments where the autoclave 104 operates at pressures above ambient levels, the pressure is gradually released from the autoclave 104 back to ambient levels after the biomass 102 is tumbled in the autoclave 104 at the elevated levels of pressure, such as over a period of time greater than five minutes, in order to dry out the biomass 102 in the autoclave 104 without breaking down the biomass 102 to unwanted levels.

[0044] Output from the autoclave 104 may serve as an input into the dryer 108. The dryer 108 may include a vessel configured to receive and retain the input material. The dryer 108 may also include at least one heating element that elevates the temperature of the inputmaterial to reduce the moisture content. In some examples, the dryer 108 may further include an air circulator, such as a fan, to aid in removing moisture from the input material. The input material may be dried by the dryer 108 until a desired moisture content is reached, for example reaching a moisture content of at least 2%. Drying the input material to decrease the moisture content may allow for more efficient downstream processing, such as gasification. While in the example shown, output from the dryer 108 serves as the input into the extractor 130, in other examples a portion of the output from the extractor 130 may serve as an input in the dryer 108. Thus, drying by the dryer 108 may occur before and / or after extraction by the extractor 130.

[0045] At least a portion of the output from the extractor 130 may serve as an input into the processor 142 for producing the liquid hydrocarbons 150. In some examples, the processor 142 may include hydrocracking and / or cracking the received input to generate the liquid hydrocarbons 150. Thus, in some examples the processor 142 may be a hydrocracker. The hydrocracker may include a reactor, a separator, and a fractionator. The input may be sent to the reactor, where the input is reacted with a catalyst. The catalyst may react with the input to break down the molecular chains of the input into shorter molecular chains for further processing. In some examples hydrogen may be injected into the reactor during processing. For example, hydrogen may be injected into the reactor such that the input may undergo hydrogenation. In some examples, the input may undergo hydrotreating in the reactor, such as to remove one or more impurities (e.g., sulfur and / or nitrogen). The reacted output may be sent to the separator, such as a high pressure separator and / or a low pressure separator, where the reacted output is separated between gas and liquid hydrocarbons. Output from the separator, such as the liquid hydrocarbons, may serve as an input into the fractionator. The fractionator may process the liquid hydrocarbons, through fractionation, into one or more individual products (e.g., diesel, kerosene, and naphtha) which may be provided to an end user. In some examples, a portion of the input fed to the reactor may not fully react, resulting in uncracked hydrocarbons. The uncracked hydrocarbons may be recycled back to the reactor for further reaction and subsequent processing into liquid hydrocarbons. Thus, in some examples a portion of the output from the extractor 130 may be input into the processor 142 for processing into the liquid hydrocarbons 150.

[0046] Figure 2 depicts a process flow 200 for producing a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock 240 and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 210A, according to an example embodiment. As shown, the process flow 200 may include a dry feedstock ofsolid biomass 210 that is input into an extractor 230 which outputs the HEFA feedstock 240 and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 210A. In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may be prepared in an upstream process (e.g., blocks 102-108) before input into the extractor 230.

[0047] In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may be prepared in such a way that the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 has dimensions within a particular range of sizes. For instance, in some embodiments, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may be prepared so that the dry feedstock is not too large (e.g., the hexane might not be able to penetrate the particle and dissolve out residual hydrocarbons), such as by being reduced in size through the use of the autoclave 104. Further, in some embodiments, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may be prepared so that the dry feedstock is not too small (e.g., the particle might not able to be washed away with the hexane), such as through use of a pelletizer. In such embodiments, the process flow 200 further includes a pelletizer 215 to enable size control of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 before the dry feedstock is input into the extractor 230. For instance, in the process flow 200, the pelletizer 215 is upstream of the extractor 230 to prepare the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 before the dry feedstock is input into the extractor 230.

[0048] In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may include fats, grease, and / or oil. It may be determined that an oil content of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 is above a predetermined threshold value, such as a predetermined threshold value of 0.5% by weight. Based on the determination that the oil content is above the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may be introduced into the extractor 230. The dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 may be placed into an extraction chamber, such as a vessel, tank, silo, or cylinder. A solvent, such as hexane 236, may be introduced into the extraction chamber with the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 to form a hexane feedstock mixture 232. For example, the hexane 236 may react with the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210 to extract (e.g., separate out) a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass 210. The hexane feedstock mixture 232 may be agitated and / or heated to increase extraction of the oil content by the hexane 236. In some examples, extraction of the oil content using hexane 236 may occur at a temperature between 50 and 70 degrees Celsius. The hexane feedstock mixture 232 may be separated into an oil enriched hexane 234 and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 210A. In other examples, however, another solvent may be used to separate a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass210. In some examples, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 210A may include a residual oil content less than 0.5% by weight.

[0049] The oil enriched hexane 234 may undergo further processing to remove the hexane to produce the HEFA feedstock 240. For example, one or more heaters and / or evaporators may process the oil enriched hexane 234 to produce the HEFA feedstock 240 and removed hexane 236 A. In some examples, a plurality of evaporators may be used to process the hexane feedstock mixture 232. For example, the oil enriched hexane 234 may be passed to a first stage evaporator. The first stage evaporator may operate at a temperature between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius, such as approximately 48 degrees Celsius. The first stage evaporator may remove a first portion of hexane from the oil enriched hexane 234. Removing the first portion of hexane from the oil enriched hexane 234 may concentrate the oil content in the oil enriched hexane 234 to between 75 and 85 percent (e.g., by weight). The output from the first stage evaporator may be input into a second stage evaporator. The second stage evaporator may operate at a temperature between 90 and 110 degrees Celsius. The second stage evaporator may process the output from the first stage evaporator to remove a second portion of hexane from the oil enriched hexane 234. For example, the second stage evaporator may process the output from the first stage evaporator such that the oil content in the oil enriched hexane 234 is concentrated to between 95 to 98 percent (e.g., by weight). The output from the second stage evaporator may serve as input into a stripper. The stripper may operate at a temperature between 90 and 110 degrees Celsius to further reduce an amount of hexane in the oil enriched hexane 234. For example, the stripper may remove a third portion of hexane from the oil enriched hexane 234. In some examples the stripper may reduce the hexane content of the oil enriched hexane 234 to between 5 to 200 parts per million (PPM). In such examples, the output from the stripper may be the HEFA feedstock 240. The removed hexane 236A may be recycled for subsequent use by the extractor 230. In some examples, evaporating may be performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 degrees Celsius.

[0050] Figure 3 depicts a process flow 300 for producing hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment. In some examples, the process flow 300 may be used to produce syngas 320 and / or a liquid hydrocarbon 350. In some examples, the process flow 300 may be included in a system for processing biomass, such as for processing biomass into liquid hydrocarbons and / or syngas. The process flow 300 includes municipal solid waste (MSW) 302, an autoclave 304, a sieve 306, a dryer 308, an extractor 330, a processor 342, a mill 312,and a gasifier 314. The MSW 302 may be input into the autoclave 304 to break down a biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 into pieces for input into the sieve 306. The sieve 306 may separate the biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 for input into the dryer 308 for further processing into a feedstock. For example, blocks 302-308 of the process flow 300 may be an upstream process for producing a dry feedstock of solid biomass 310.

[0051] The dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may serve as an input to the extractor 330 for extracting a portion oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock (HF) 340 and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass (RDFSB) 310A. The HEFA feedstock 340 may serve as an input into the processor 342 for processing into liquid hydrocarbons 350. In some examples, the processor 342 may use hydrocracking to process the HEFA feedstock 340 into the liquid hydrocarbons 350. The refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A may serve as an input to the mill 312 for processing into a milled output of solid particles 313 that may undergo gasification by the gasifier 314 to extract the syngas 320. In some examples, the feedstock 210 (Figure 2) may include the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310. The dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may have a moisture content of at least 2% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%. In some examples, the autoclave 304, the dryer 308, the extractor 330, the processor 342, and / or the liquid hydrocarbons 350 may be the same as and / or similar to the autoclave 104, the dryer 108, the extractor 130, the processor 142, and / or the liquid hydrocarbons 150 described in Figure 1 and / or the extractor 230 described in Figure 2.

[0052] In some embodiments, before the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 is input into the extractor 330, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may be prepared so that the dry feedstock is not too small (e.g., the particle might not able to be washed away with the hexane), such as through use of a pelletizer. In such embodiments, the process flow 300 further includes a pelletizer 315 to enable size control of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310. For instance, in the process flow 300, the pelletizer 315 is upstream of the extractor 330 to prepare the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 before the dry feedstock is input into the extractor 330.

[0053] The MSW 302 may include a variety of organic and inorganic matter. For example, the MSW 302 may include biomass and / or biogenic materials (e.g., paper products, animal products, forestry products, agricultural products, and / or yard waste), non-biomass materials (e.g., plastics and / or synthetic materials), and / or noncombustible materials (e.g., glass and / ormetals). In some examples, the MSW 302 may include garbage or waste. One or more components that make up the MSW 302 may be desirable for the generation of syngas 320 and / or the production of HEFA feedstock 340 for the production of liquid hydrocarbons 350. For example, the biomass may be desirable as the feedstock for gasification to extract gasses, such as carbon monoxide (CO) and / or hydrogen (EE), that may ultimately be transformed into hydrocarbons. In another example, fats, oils, and / or greases (collectively referred to as oil) may be included in the biomass, such as absorbed by a biogenic substrate, which may be desirable as a feedstock for oil extraction and subsequent processing of the oil into hydrocarbons.

[0054] The MSW 302 may undergo further downstream processing to separate and refine the biomass for gasification by the gasifier 314. In some examples, the downstream processing may determine that the feedstock includes an oil content above a predetermined threshold value, such as an oil content above 0.5% by weight. In such examples, a portion of the oil content may be extracted from the feedstock, as the HEFA feedstock 340, for processing into the hydrocarbons. In such examples, the feedstock may be processed to form the HEFA feedstock 340 and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A. The HEFA feedstock 340 may undergo processing (e.g., hydrocracking) into liquid hydrocarbons 350 and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A may be gasified into syngas 320. While the MSW 302 is used to produce the syngas 320 and the liquid hydrocarbons 350 in the example shown, in other examples another source that includes biomass may be used. Utilizing the MSW 302 as the feedstock for the production of various forms of hydrocarbons may provide an alternative fuel source to petroleum derived fuels while reducing an amount of garbage that is otherwise diverted to landfills. Removing and separately processing a portion of the oil content from the MSW 302, as shown in blocks 330-350, may allow for another form of hydrocarbon generation to be utilized that would otherwise be included in material sent to the gasifier and / or discarded in a landfill.

[0055] In the example shown, the MSW 302 may be fed into the autoclave 304 for further processing to break down the biomass fraction of the MSW 302 into smaller pieces for separation. The autoclave 304 may include a rotatable pressure vessel, a heating system, and a control system for controlling rotation, temperature, and / or pressure of the autoclave 304. For example, the pressure and / or the temperature of the autoclave 304 may be elevated above ambient levels for processing of the MSW 302. In some examples, steam may be injectedinto the autoclave 304 to assist in elevating the temperature and / or breaking down of the biomass.

[0056] In some examples, the autoclave 304 may process the MSW 302 at an elevated temperature and / or pressure, such as between 130-180 degrees Celsius and 3-8 bar gauge pressure. While exposed to elevated temperatures and / or pressure, the autoclave 304 may rotate about an axis. Rotation of the autoclave 304, combined with the elevated temperature and pressure, may cause the biomass / biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 to break down into smaller pieces while the fraction of the MSW 302 that is not biomass / biogenic (e.g., textiles, plastics, glass, and / or metals) remain whole. The biomass / biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 may then be separated from the non-biogenic portion of the MSW 302 for further preparation into the feedstock. Thus, the autoclave 304 may allow for the biomass / biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 to be homogenized and / or separated from the non-biogenic portion of the MSW 302.

[0057] In some examples, the autoclave 304 may be used to process a source of biomass to form a wet feedstock 305. However, in other examples a pulper may be used to process the source of biomass to form the wet feedstock 305. The wet feedstock 305 may be a feedstock having a moisture content that is less efficient for gasification than a dry feedstock, such as a moisture content greater than 10%. In some examples, the wet feedstock 305 may still include the non-biogenic portion of the MSW 302. Thus, it may be desirable to process the wet feedstock 305 to separate the biogenic portion from the non-biogenic portion of material.

[0058] In the embodiments in which a pulper is used to process the source of biomass to form the wet feedstock 305, a pulper that operates at approximately atmospheric pressure is used. In such embodiments, the wet feedstock 305 is formed from the source of biomass through the use of tumbling the source of biomass together with hot water at approximately the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, in such embodiments, no chemical additives need be added to the pulper to produce the wet feedstock 305.

[0059] For example, the wet feedstock 305 may be input into the sieve 306 for separation. The sieve 306 may include at least one screen having a predefined size to allow for separation of the biogenic fraction from the non-biogenic fraction of MSW 302. For example, the autoclave or pulper may reduce a portion of the biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 in the wet feedstock 305 to below the predefined size of the screen to allow the biogenic fraction in the wet feedstock 305 to be sifted from the non-biogenic portion. Thus, the wet feedstock 305may be sifted through the screen to remove contents above a predefined size, such as non- biogenic material. In some examples, the portion of the wet feedstock 305 that passes through the screen (or screens) of the sieve 306 may form a screened wet feedstock 307. Using the autoclave 304 to reduce the particle size of the biomass / biogenic fraction of the MSW 302 then screening the output through the sieve 306 to separate non-biogenic matter from biogenic matter may increase the amount of biogenic carbon content within the screened wet feedstock 307.

[0060] After sifting the wet feedstock 305 in the sieve 306 to separate a portion of the biogenic fraction, forming the screened wet feedstock 307, it may be desirable to decrease the moisture content of the screened wet feedstock 307. For example, the screened wet feedstock307 may be dried to produce a dry feedstock of solid biomass 310. Thus, processing of the screened wet feedstock 307 may include drying the screened wet feedstock 307 in the dryer308 to form the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310. However, in other examples the wet feedstock 305 may be dried by the dryer 308 prior to screening by the sieve 306. The dryer 308 may include a vessel configured to receive and retain the screened wet feedstock 307, and at least one heating element that elevates the temperature of the screened wet feedstock 307 to reduce the moisture content. In some examples, the dryer 308 may further include an air circulator, such as a fan, to aid in removing moisture from the screened wet feedstock 307.

[0061] In some examples, drying of the screened wet feedstock 307 is carried out at a low temperature. For example, drying of the screened wet feedstock 307 may be carried out in a low temperature dryer operating in a range of 70-120 degrees Celsius. In some examples, the low temperature dryer may be a belt dryer. In some examples, the temperature at which the dryer 308 dries the screened wet feedstock 307 to form the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may not allow for torrefaction of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310. Thus, in some examples processing of the MSW 302 into the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 excludes torrefaction. The screened wet feedstock 307 may be dried by the dryer 308 until a desired moisture content in the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 is reached. In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may have a moisture content of at least 2%. However, in other examples the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may have a moisture content of no more than 10%. For example, dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may have a moisture content of no more than between 8% to 10%, of no more than between 6% to 8%, of no more than between 4% to 6%, and of no more than between 2% to 4%. Decreasing the moisture content of the screened wet feedstock 307 to form the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310may allow for more efficient conversion to gasses (e.g., hydrogen and / or carbon monoxide) during the gasification process. The dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may also provide better qualities for more uniform milling compared to the wet feedstock 305 and / or the screened wet feedstock 307. Further, decreasing the moisture content may allow for more effective pneumatic transferring of the feedstock, such as allowing for more effective pneumatic conveying of the feedstock into an entrained flow gasifier. In some embodiments, determining the moisture content of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 is governed by ISO 18134-1.

[0062] In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may have a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%. For example, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may have a biogenic carbon content of between at least 90% to 92%, of between at least 92% to 94%, of between at least 94% to 96%, of between at least 96% to 98%, and of between at least 98% to 99.9%. In some examples, the percentage of biogenic carbon content of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may be determined according to ASTM D6866. Using a dry feedstock having the biogenic carbon content of at least 90% may allow for more syngas to be generated from a volume of feedstock during gasification which may increase efficiency of the gasification process.

[0063] In some examples, it may be determined that the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 includes an oil content above a predetermined threshold value, such as an oil content equal to and / or greater than 0.5% by weight. In such examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may be input into the extractor 330. The extractor 330 may extract a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 to output the HEFA feedstock 340 and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A. The HEFA feedstock 340 may be input into the processor 342 for processing into liquid hydrocarbons 350.

[0064] In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 may be input into the mill 312 for milling to reduce a particle size distribution and / or homogeneity of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310. However, in other examples refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A may be input into the mill 312 for milling to reduce a particle size distribution and / or homogeneity of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A. The mill 312 may be configured to receive the dry feedstock and produce a milled output of solid particles 313. For example, refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A may be input into the mill 312, which may break the solid biomass into a milled output of solid particles 313. In someexamples, at least 95% of the solid particles 313 in the milled output may have a size less than 2 mm. For example, at least 95% of the solid particles 313 in the milled output may have a size less than 1.5 mm, a size less than 1 mm, a size less than 500 pm, a size less than 250 pm, and a size less than 100 pm. In some examples, increasing milling intensity may produce more solid particles in the milled output having a size less than 2 mm. In some examples, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A may include a residual oil content less than 0.5% by weight.

[0065] Milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A may include grinding, cutting, chopping, and / or pulverizing, for example. Milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A in the mill 312 to reduce the particle size distribution may allow for gasification of the solid particles 313 to more efficiently occur by the gasifier 314. For example, decreasing the output size of the milled solid particles may allow for the milled solid particles to be pneumatically transferred into the gasifier 314. Further, in some examples decreasing the output size of the milled solid particles may allow for a uniform cloud distribution within the gasifier 314 which may provide for uniform conversion of the milled solid particles into syngas 320 during gasification. Thus, in some examples the milled output of solid particles may be pneumatically transferred to the gasifier 314 (e.g., an entrained flow gasifier) for gasification.

[0066] In some examples, the mill 312 may be a knife mill, a hammer mill, a tema mill, a ring roller mill, a centrifugal mill, and / or a vertical spindle mill. However, in other examples another type of mill may be used. The type of mill used may be based on the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A chosen and / or the desired output particle size for gasification. In some examples, the mill 312 may aid in reducing moisture content of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A. For example, the mill 312 may induce nonthermal drying of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A by forcing moisture from the feedstock during the milling process. In some examples, the mill 312 may include a classification system, which may recirculate and / or reject material that is above a threshold size. For example, the mill 312 may include a dynamic classifiers which may be configured to reject difficult-to-mill particles.

[0067] The milled output of solid particles (e.g., solid particles 313) may be input into the gasifier 314 for gasification. The gasifier 314 may include a vessel (e.g., a pressure vessel) configured to receive the feedstock, a heating unit, and a controller for controllinggasification operations of the gasifier 314. For example, the controller may control processing time, temperature, pressure, and / or inputs into the gasifier 314 such as steam or oxygen. The gasifier 314 may further include a series of pipes connected to the vessel for transporting gasses produced by the gasified feedstock and / or for inputting steam and / or oxygen into the gasifier 314 during processing. The gasses produced by the gasified feedstock may be transported by the pipes to additional equipment, such as a vessel including at least one catalyst, for further processing and refining.

[0068] In some examples, the gasifier 314 may be an entrained flow gasifier. However, in other examples another gasifier may be used. The entrained flow gasifier may be configured to receive at least a portion of the milled output and form syngas 320. The entrained flow gasifier may allow for operation at a higher gasification temperature and / or pressure than other gasifiers and may further provide a turbulent environment. Gasification of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A at a higher temperature and / or pressure may increase efficiency and / or a production output of syngas though enhanced feed conversion rates and high throughput. In some examples, gasification of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A by the gasifier 314 may further be enhanced through upstream processing to reduce oxygen content, reduce particle size, and / or increase homogeneity of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 310A.

[0069] Thus, in some examples of the process flow 300, the production of hydrocarbons may include preparing the dry feedstock of solid biomass 310 in an upstream process (302- 310) that excludes torrefaction.

[0070] Figure 4 depicts an example process flow 400 of the process flow 300 shown in Figure 3, according to an example embodiment. As shown, in the process flow 400, municipal solid waste (MSW) 402 is input into an autoclave 404 for processing into wet feedstock (WF) 405 which may then be screened by a sieve 406 to produce a screened wet feedstock (SWF) 407 as an output. The screened wet feedstock 407 may be dried by a dryer 408 to reduce moisture content within the screened wet feedstock 407 to produce a dry feedstock of solid biomass (DFSB) 410. It may be determined that the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value, such as an oil content above 0.5% by weight. Based on the determination that the oil content of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 satisfies (e.g. is equal to and / or above) the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 may serve as an input into anextractor 430. The extractor 430 may extract a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 to form a HEFA feedstock 440 and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 410A. The HEFA feedstock 440 may then be input into a processor 442 for processing into liquid hydrocarbons 450. Thus, in some examples the HEFA feedstock 440 generated by the extractor 430 may serve as a feedstock for the production of hydrocarbons. The refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 410A may then be milled by a mill 412 to reduce the particle size to a desirable level for gasification. The solid particles (SP) 413 produced by milling of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass 410A may then be input into a gasifier 414, such as an entrained flow gasifier, to undergo gasification. Gasification of the solid particles 413 by the gasifier 414 may produce syngas 420 which may be removed from the gasifier 414 and used as a base component in the generation of hydrocarbons. In some examples, one or more components from the process flow 400 may be included in the process flow 100. In other examples, one or more components from the process flow 200 may be included in the process flow 400, and vice versa.

[0071] In some embodiments, before the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 is input into the extractor 430, the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 may be prepared so that the dry feedstock is not too small (e.g., the particle might not able to be washed away with the hexane), such as through use of a pelletizer. In such embodiments, the process flow 400 further includes a pelletizer 415 to enable size control of the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410. For instance, in the process flow 400, the pelletizer 415 is upstream of the extractor 430 to prepare the dry feedstock of solid biomass 410 before the dry feedstock is input into the extractor 430.

[0072] Figure 5 depicts another example process flow 500 for generating hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment. Similar reference numerals may correspond to similar components described in any of Figures 1 through 4, and thus may include similar features and / or functionality. Further, in some examples at least one aspect described in Figure 5 may be combinable with at least one aspect described in any of Figures 1 through 4. Thus, the process flows 100, 200, 300, and / or 400 may include at least one feature (e.g., a function, a component, and / or an aspect) from the process flow 500, and vice versa.

[0073] As shown, municipal solid waste (MSW) 502 may be input into an autoclave 504 for processing (e.g., treatment under increased pressure and temperature) to break down the size of the biogenic fraction of the MSW 502 to allow for separation of a portion of thebiogenic fraction from a non-biogenic portion of the MSW 502. The MSW 502 may serve as an input into the autoclave 504 which may process the MSW 502 into a wet feedstock as an output. The wet feedstock may include a portion of biogenic material having a reduced size compared to a portion of biogenic material in the MSW 502. While the autoclave 504 is shown in the example of Figure 5, in some examples a pulper may be used to generate the wet feedstock instead of an autoclave.

[0074] The wet feedstock may then pass through a screen 506 (e.g., a sieve), such as a screen having a predefined size, to separate materials above and below the predefined size. For example, the screen 506 may have a predefined size that allows a portion of the biogenic fraction to pass through while rejecting a portion of non-biogenic material. The process 500 downstream of the screen 506 is illustrated as overs 506A and unders 506B, with overs 506A representing material rejected by the screen 506 and unders 506B representing material admitted by the screen 506, such as screened wet feedstock. In some examples, the screened wet feedstock may include a portion of the biogenic fraction of the wet feedstock. The overs 506A may then be transferred to a picking station 560 that may separate a biogenic portion 562 of the overs 506A from a non-biogenic portion 564 of the overs 506A. In some examples, the biogenic portion 562 may be readmitted into the MSW 502 for reprocessing. The non-biogenic portion 564 may include recyclable (e.g., metals and / or plastics) and non- recyclable material. In some examples, non-recyclable material from the overs 506A may be burned by an incinerator to generate power. However, in other examples a portion of the non-recyclable, such as plastic material, may serve as an input into a pyrolysis reactor for use in generating liquid hydrocarbons that may be used in the production of a variety of products (e.g., alternative fuels).

[0075] The screened wet feedstock may be input into a dryer 508 to reduce the moisture content and produce a dry feedstock of solid biomass as an output. It may be determined that the dry feedstock of solid biomass contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value, such as containing an oil content equal to and / or greater than a predetermined threshold value of 0.5% by weight. Based on the determination that the oil content satisfies the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass may be input into an extractor 530. The extractor 530 may extract a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a HEFA feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass. In some examples, the extractor 530 may use hexane to separate a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass. In such examples, the hexane may beremoved from the separated portion of the oil content using evaporation to form the HEFA feedstock. The HEFA feedstock may be input into a processor 542 for processing into liquid hydrocarbons, such as hydrocarbons 528. For example, the processor 542 may include hydrocracking and / or cracking the HEFA feedstock to form liquid hydrocarbons. Separating a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass may provide for another stream of hydrocarbon generation from MSW 502 that may otherwise be sent to the gasifier and / or discarded (e.g., sent to a landfill).

[0076] In some embodiments, before the dry feedstock of solid biomass is input into the extractor 530, the dry feedstock of solid biomass may be prepared so that the dry feedstock is not too small (e.g., the particle might not able to be washed away with the hexane), such as through use of a pelletizer. In such embodiments, the process flow 500 further includes a pelletizer 515 to enable size control of the dry feedstock of solid biomass. For instance, in the process flow 500, the pelletizer 515 is upstream of the extractor 530 to prepare the dry feedstock of solid biomass 510 before the dry feedstock is input into the extractor 530.

[0077] The refined dry feedstock of solid biomass may have an oil content less than 0.5% by weight. In some examples, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass may have a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%. The refined dry feedstock of solid biomass may be input into a mill 512 for processing, such as to reduce a particle size of the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass. Decreasing the particle size and / or moisture content of the solid biomass may allow for the solid biomass to be more effectively transferred (e.g., pneumatically transferred) to a gasifier, such as an entrained flow gasifier. Further, decreasing the particle size and / or moisture content of the solid biomass may allow for more efficient pneumatic conveyance through the entrained flow gasifier, which may enable more gasification of the solid biomass to syngas during processing within the gasifier. For example, decreasing the size and / or moisture content of the solid particles may increase a suspension time of the solid particles within the gasifier, which may in turn allow for more gasification to occur, as heavier particles (e.g., being larger and / or having more moisture content) have a greater heat capacity than smaller particles such that the heavier particles heat up more slowly than smaller particles and therefore may pass out of the gasifier before they are fully gasified. In such embodiments, such particles may be unburnt. Thus, the mill 512 may process the dry feedstock of solid biomass into a milled output of solid particles. In some examples, upon exiting the mill 512 at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output may have a size less than 2 mm.

[0078] The milled output of solid particles may be input into the gasifier 514. During processing by the gasifier 514, the milled output of solid particles may undergo gasification to form syngas. For example, while in the gasifier 514 the milled output of solid particles may be subjected to above atmospheric temperature and / or pressure to induce a chemical reaction that outputs the syngas. Oxygen and / or steam may further be injected and regulated in the gasifier to increase a rate of gasification. In some examples, such as in an entrained flow gasifier, turbulent flow may aid in the gasification process to further increase the rate at which the chemical reaction occurs. The syngas that is output during the gasification process by the gasifier 514 may be collected by a pipe and transported for further downstream processing.

[0079] For example, the syngas may be subjected to acid gas removal 522. The acid gas removal 522 may involve subjecting the syngas to a first catalyst that reacts with the syngas to remove acidic gases, such as removing hydrogen sulfide from the syngas. In some examples, the hydrogen sulfide removed by the first catalyst may be further refined into sulfuric acid which may be used in various industry settings. During reaction with the first catalyst in the acid gas removal 522, biogenic carbon dioxide 524 may further be removed from the syngas.

[0080] After removal of the acidic gasses, the refined syngas may undergo a Fischer- Tropsch process 526. The Fischer-Tropsch process 526 may include at least one catalyst, such as a metal catalysts, that further refines the syngas into hydrocarbons 528 (e.g., liquid hydrocarbons). In some examples, the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 may occur at an above atmospheric pressure (e.g., greater than one atmospheric pressure) and / or temperature (e.g., between 150-300 degrees Celsius). The Fischer-Tropsch process 526 may allow the syngas to be transformed into the hydrocarbons 528 which may then be further used as an alternative fuel (e.g., naphtha, diesel, and / or aviation fuel) and / or in the production of materials, such as plastics. In some examples, a portion of the hydrocarbons 528 generated by subjecting the syngas to the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 may be used to provide inputs to the process flow 500. For example, syngas produced by the process flow 500 may be transformed by the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 to produce hydrocarbons 528. Because the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 involves an exothermic reaction, a portion of heat generated by the exothermic reaction of the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 may be used to provide heat and / or generate steam 570 as an input back into the process flow 500. Thus, in some examples, at least a portion of heat provided as an input back into the process flow 500 may be generated fromthe Fischer-Tropsch process 526 using the syngas, where the heat is from the exothermic reaction of the Fischer-Tropsch process 526.

[0081] In some examples, at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer 508 is generated from the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 using the syngas. In further examples, at least a portion of heat provided to the autoclave 504 or pulper is generated from the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 using the syngas. For example, the portion of heat provided to the dryer 508, the autoclave 504, and / or the pulper may be heat generated by the exothermic reaction of the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 in processing the syngas. By utilizing a portion of heat generated from the Fischer-Tropsch process using the syngas, processing of the municipal solid waste into feedstock may rely on less outside energy sources which may help to decrease operating expenses and / or reliance on petroleum based fuels as a heat source. However, in other examples at least a portion of the heat provided to the autoclave 504, the pulper, and / or the dryer 508 may be provided by heat generated through an exothermic gasification reaction in the gasifier 514. In such examples, the heat provided by the exothermic gasification reaction in the gasifier 514 may be separate from, and / or in addition to, the portion of heat supplied from the Fischer-Tropsch process 526.

[0082] In some embodiments, at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer 508 is generated from a methanol synthesis process, as the chemical reaction in the formulation of methanol is exothermic. As such, the generated heat from the methanol synthesis process may be captured and provided to the dryer 508. By utilizing a portion of heat generated from the methanol synthesis process, processing of the municipal solid waste into feedstock may rely on less outside energy sources, which may help to decrease operating expenses and / or reliance on petroleum based fuels as a heat source. In some embodiments, heat may be provided to the dryer 508 through other sources, such as through a combination of a Fischer- Tropsch process using the syngas, an exothermic gasification reaction in the gasifier 514, and / or methanol synthesis process.

[0083] In some examples, the biogenic carbon dioxide 524 removed from the syngas may undergo a reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGS). In such examples, the biogenic carbon dioxide 524 may be reacted with hydrogen (H2) to produce water (H2O) and carbon monoxide (CO). The carbon monoxide may be combined with the extracted syngas and undergo the Fischer-Tropsch process 526 to produce hydrocarbons.

[0084] Figure 6 depicts a flowchart of a method 600 for generating liquid hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment. The method 600 may include one or more operations, or actions as illustrated by one or more blocks 602-612. Although the blocks are illustrated in a sequential order, these blocks may in some instances be performed in parallel, and / or in a different order than those described herein. Also, the various blocks may be combined into fewer blocks, divided into additional blocks, and / or removed based upon the desired implementation. One or more examples of the method 600 may be performed by the system shown in any of Figures 1 through 5.

[0085] As illustrated, at block 602, the method 600 may include processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock.

[0086] At block 604, the method 600 may also include drying the wet feedstock of solid biomass in a dryer to form a dry feedstock of solid biomass.

[0087] At block 606, the method 600 may further include determining that the dry feedstock of solid biomass contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value.

[0088] At block 608, the method 600 may additionally include introducing, based on the determination that the oil content is above the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor.

[0089] At block 610, the method 600 may also include extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass.

[0090] At block 612, the method may also include processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0091] In some examples of the method 600, the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0092] In some examples of the method 600, the predetermined threshold value of the oil content is 0.5% by weight.

[0093] In some examples of the method 600, extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass is performed using hexane extraction.

[0094] In some examples of the method 600, extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further includes: introducing hexane into the extractor withthe dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0095] In such examples of the method 600, evaporating is performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0096] In some examples, the method 600 further includes processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or pulper to form the wet feedstock.

[0097] In some examples of the method 600, processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons is performed using hydrocracking.

[0098] In some examples, the method 600 further includes introducing the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to a mill, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content less than 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%; milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a milled output of solid particles, where at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; and gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas.

[0099] In such examples of the method 600, at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a Fischer-Tropsch process using the syngas.

[0100] In such examples of the method 600, at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a methanol synthesis process.

[0101] In some examples of the method 600, the dry feedstock of solid biomass has a moisture content of no more than 10%.

[0102] In some examples of the method 600, drying the wet feedstock is carried out in a low temperature dryer operating in a range of 70-120 C°.

[0103] In some examples, the method 600 further includes sifting the wet feedstock through a screen to remove contents above a predefined size.

[0104] In some examples of the method 600, the dry feedstock is formed of biomass pellets.

[0105] Figure 7 depicts a flowchart of another method 700 for generating liquid hydrocarbons, according to an example embodiment. The method 700 may include one ormore operations, or actions as illustrated by one or more blocks 702-714. Although the blocks are illustrated in a sequential order, these blocks may in some instances be performed in parallel, and / or in a different order than those described herein. Also, the various blocks may be combined into fewer blocks, divided into additional blocks, and / or removed based upon the desired implementation. One or more examples of the method 700 may be performed in a similar manner to the examples described in Figure 6.

[0106] As illustrated, at block 702, the method 700 may include processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock.

[0107] At block 704, the method 700 may also include preparing a dry feedstock of solid biomass in an upstream process from the wet feedstock. In some examples, the dry feedstock of solid biomass has an oil content of at least 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%.

[0108] At block 706, the method 700 may further include introducing the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor.

[0109] At block 708, the method 700 may additionally include extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass.

[0110] At block 710, the method 700 may also include milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass in a mill to form a milled output of solid particles. In some examples, at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm.[oni] At block 712, the method 700 may also include gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas.

[0112] At block 714, the method 700 may also include processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0113] In some examples of the method 700, extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further includes introducing hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0114] In such examples of the method 700, removing the hexane is performed by evaporating using heat.

[0115] In such examples of the method 700, evaporating is performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0116] In some examples of the method 700, processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons is performed using hydrocracking.

[0117] In some examples of the method 700, the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0118] Enumerated Embodiments:

[0119] Embodiment l is a method of generating liquid hydrocarbons, the method comprising: processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock; drying the wet feedstock of solid biomass in a dryer to form a dry feedstock of solid biomass; determining that the dry feedstock of solid biomass contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value; introducing, based on the determination that the oil content is above the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor; extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0120] Embodiment 2 is the method according to embodiment 1, wherein the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0121] Embodiment 3 is the method according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, wherein the predetermined threshold value of the oil content is 0.5% by weight.

[0122] Embodiment 4 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass is performed using hexane extraction.

[0123] Embodiment 5 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further comprises: introducing hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oilenriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0124] Embodiment 6 is the method according to embodiment 5, wherein removing the hexane is performed by evaporating using heat.

[0125] Embodiment 7 is the method according to embodiment 6, wherein evaporating is performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0126] Embodiment 8 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons is performed using hydrocracking.

[0127] Embodiment 9 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 8, further comprising: introducing the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to a mill, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content less than 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%; milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; and gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas.

[0128] Embodiment 10 is the method according to embodiment 9, wherein at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a Fischer-Tropsch process using the syngas.

[0129] Embodiment 11 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the dry feedstock of solid biomass has a moisture content of no more than 10%.

[0130] Embodiment 12 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein drying the wet feedstock is carried out in a low temperature dryer operating in a range of 70- 120 C°.

[0131] Embodiment 13 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 12, further comprising sifting the wet feedstock through a screen to remove contents above a predefined size.

[0132] Embodiment 14 is the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the dry feedstock is formed of biomass pellets.

[0133] Embodiment 15 is a method of generating liquid hydrocarbons, the method comprising: processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wetfeedstock; preparing a dry feedstock of solid biomass in an upstream process from the wet feedstock, the dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content of at least 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%; introducing the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor; extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass in a mill to form a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas; and processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

[0134] Embodiment 16 is the method according to embodiment 15, wherein extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further comprises: introducing hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0135] Embodiment 17 is the method according to embodiment 16, wherein removing the hexane is performed by evaporating using heat.

[0136] Embodiment 18 is the method according to embodiment 17, wherein evaporating is performed using a vacuum evaporator operating at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0137] Embodiment 19 is the method according to any of embodiments 15 to 18, wherein processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons is performed using hydrocracking.

[0138] Embodiment 20 is the method according to any of embodiments 15 to 19, wherein the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0139] Embodiment 21 is a system for processing biomass, the system comprising: an autoclave or a pulper configured to process a source of biomass to form a wet feedstock; a dryer configured to receive the wet feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content of at least 0.5% and dry the wet feedstock to produce a dry feedstock having a moisture content of at least 2%; an extractor configured to receive the dry feedstock and extract a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock; a mill configured to receive the refined dry feedstockand produce a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; and a processor configured to receive the HEFA feedstock and process the HEFA feedstock to produce liquid hydrocarbons.

[0140] Embodiment 22 is the system according to embodiment 21, wherein the extractor is further configured to: introduce hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separate the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and remove the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

[0141] Embodiment 23 is the system according to embodiment 22, wherein the extractor removes the hexane through evaporation using heat.

[0142] Embodiment 24 is the system according to embodiment 23, wherein evaporation is performed using a vacuum evaporator that operates at a temperature above 45 C°.

[0143] Embodiment 25 is the system according to any of embodiments 21 to 24, wherein the processor processes the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons using hydrocracking.

[0144] Embodiment 26 is the system according to any of embodiments 21 to 25, wherein the dry feedstock is derived from municipal solid waste.

[0145] Embodiment 27 is the system according to embodiment 21, wherein the system for processing biomass is further arranged to perform the method according to any of embodiments 1 to 14.

[0146] Embodiment 28 is the system according to embodiment 21, wherein the system for processing biomass is further arranged to perform the method according to any of embodiments 15 to 20.

[0147] Embodiment 29 is the method according to embodiment 9, wherein at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a methanol synthesis process.

[0148] The above detailed description describes various features and functions of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods with reference to the accompanying Figures. In the Figures, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, Figures, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments can be utilized, and other changes can be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented herein. It willbe readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

[0149] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method of generating liquid hydrocarbons, the method comprising: processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock; drying the wet feedstock of solid biomass in a dryer to form a dry feedstock of solid biomass; determining that the dry feedstock of solid biomass contains an oil content above a predetermined threshold value; introducing, based on the determination that the oil content is above the predetermined threshold value, the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor; extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dry feedstock of solid biomass is derived from municipal solid waste.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value of the oil content is 0.5% by weight.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass is performed using hexane extraction.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein extracting the portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass further comprises: introducing hexane into the extractor with the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hexane feedstock mixture; separating the hexane feedstock mixture into an oil enriched hexane and the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and removing the hexane from the oil enriched hexane to form the HEFA feedstock.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein removing the hexane is performed by evaporating using heat.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:introducing the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to a mill, the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content less than 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%; milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; and gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a Fischer-Tropsch process using the syngas.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dry feedstock of solid biomass has a moisture content of no more than 10%.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein drying the wet feedstock is carried out in a low temperature dryer operating in a range of 70-120 C°.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dry feedstock is formed of biomass pellets.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least a portion of heat provided to the dryer is generated from a methanol synthesis process.

13. A method of generating liquid hydrocarbons, the method comprising: processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock; preparing a dry feedstock of solid biomass in an upstream process from the wet feedstock, the dry feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content of at least 0.5% and a biogenic carbon content of at least 90%; introducing the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor; extracting, using the extractor, a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; milling the refined dry feedstock of solid biomass in a mill to form a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm;gasifying at least a portion of the milled output in an entrained flow gasifier to form syngas; and processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

14. A system for processing biomass, the system comprising: an autoclave or a pulper configured to process a source of biomass to form a wet feedstock; a dryer configured to receive the wet feedstock of solid biomass having an oil content of at least 0.5% and dry the wet feedstock to produce a dry feedstock having a moisture content of at least 2%; an extractor configured to receive the dry feedstock and extract a portion of the oil content from the dry feedstock to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock; a mill configured to receive the refined dry feedstock and produce a milled output of solid particles, wherein at least 95% of the solid particles in the milled output have a size less than 2 mm; and a processor configured to receive the HEFA feedstock and process the HEFA feedstock to produce liquid hydrocarbons.

15. A method of generating liquid hydrocarbons, the method comprising: processing a source of biomass in an autoclave or a pulper to form a wet feedstock; drying the wet feedstock of solid biomass in a dryer to form a dry feedstock of solid biomass; introducing the dry feedstock of solid biomass into an extractor; extracting, using the extractor, a portion of an oil content from the dry feedstock of solid biomass to form a hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) feedstock and a refined dry feedstock of solid biomass; and processing the HEFA feedstock into liquid hydrocarbons.

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