Feedstocks for industrial operations

Abstract

The disclosure relates to the field of sustainability, in particular to the field of feedstocks alternative to fossil feedstocks and usable for combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, or coking. The disclosure relates to methods for generating mixture data, methods for generating environmental property data for mixtures, methods for preparing a feedstock for combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, or coking optionally associated with environmental properties, methods for monitoring and / or controlling a composition and / or environmental properties of a feedstock for combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, or coking, respective apparatuses, uses of mixture data, feed-stocks, and computer elements.

Description

[0001] FEEDSTOCKS FOR INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The disclosure relates to the field of sustainability, in particular to the field of feedstocks alternative to fossil feedstocks and usable for industrial operations like combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking. The disclosure relates to methods for generating mixture data, environmental property data for mixtures, methods for preparing a feedstock, methods for monitoring and / or controlling a composition and / or environmental properties of a feedstock, respective apparatuses, uses of mixture data, feedstocks, and computer elements.

[0004] Technical Background

[0005] Chemical products for plastic are used in diverse applications and end up in multiple supply chains to produce a diversity of products containing plastics.

[0006] Recycling of plastic articles is challenging owing to the complexity in sorting the diverse set of waste articles. The refeed of plastics into chemical value chains is particularly difficult since chemical plants such as combustion plants, partial oxidation facilities, fluid catalytic crackers, and cokers often have narrow specifications that may be difficult to meet with recycling-based feedstocks. Chemical producers are hence hampered to recycle and refeed plastics in material value chains.

[0007] Similarly, feedstocks derived from renewable resources like biomass tend to have properties that make them unsuited for direct use in industrial operations like combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking. Also, the availability of suitable renewable feedstocks in relevant amounts is limited.

[0008] Thus, to increase the accessible amounts of recycling-based and bio-based feedstocks that meet the requirements for said applications, pre-treatment steps like purifications may be necessary. However, such pre-treatment adds additional complexity to the overall production process, may reduce the overall process yield (e.g., if distillation is needed), and may be energy-intensive, costly, and time-consuming. Also, ageing processes during transport and / or storage of bio-oils or pyrolysis oils of recycling material (e.g., degradation or polymerization of oil components, changes of viscosity) may counteract the goals of pre-treatment and may necessitate repeated pre-treatments.

[0009] In an alternative approach, feedstocks that are out of specification as such may be blended with other feedstocks to obtain a blended feedstock blend that meets the specifications. However, when numerous feedstocks of varying quality, i.e., differing in numerous relevant parameters or properties, are available for blending, finding the optimum blend composition will quickly exceed the capabilities of a human operator such that bio-based and recycling-based resources are not employed in the best possible fashion. For instance, a desired or the highest possible recycled or biobased content may not be achieved due to “over-blending”, i.e., blending with excessive amounts of fossil feedstocks, with the goal of ensuring specification conformity. Summary

[0010] In one aspect disclosed is a method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for generating mixture data associated with instructions to prepare a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the method comprising: providing target mixture data associated with one or more properties of the feedstock, wherein the one or more properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties, composition properties, and environmental properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, metal content, recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon; providing alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and one or more properties specified per alternative material, wherein the multiple alternative materials comprise at least two materials selected from the group consisting of bio-oils and pyrolysis oils; providing diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded biooils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils; generating, based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation; providing the mixture data for preparing the feedstock.

[0011] In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for generating mixture data associated with instructions to prepare a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the apparatus comprising: a target mixture data providing interface configured to provide target mixture data associated with one or more properties of the feedstock, wherein the one or more properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties, composition properties, and environmental properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, metal content, recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon; an alternative material data providing interface configured to provide alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and one or more properties specified per alternative material, wherein the multiple alternative materials comprise at least two materials selected from the group consisting of bio-oils and pyrolysis oils; a diluent data providing interface configured to provide diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils; a mixture data generator configured to generate, based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation; a mixture data providing interface configured to provide the mixture data for preparing the feedstock.

[0012] In another aspect disclosed is a method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the method comprising: providing target mixture data associated with one or more technical properties of the feedstock, wherein the one or more technical properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties and composition properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, and metal content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon; providing alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials, wherein the alternative material data includes one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material; optionally providing diluent data associated with at least one diluent, wherein the diluent data includes one or more environmental properties specified per diluent and wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils; generating, based on the technical properties of the target mixture data, on the alternative material data, and optionally on the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation; generating, based on the mixture data and the one or more environmental properties of the alternative material data, environmental property data associated with the feedstock; providing the mixture data for preparing the feedstock and providing the environmental property data associated with the feedstock for linking a digital asset to the prepared feedstock. In another aspect disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the apparatus comprising: a target mixture data providing interface configured to provide target mixture data associated with one or more technical properties of the feedstock, wherein the one or more technical properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties and composition properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, and metal content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon; an alternative material data providing interface configured to provide alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials, wherein the alternative material data includes one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material; optionally a diluent data providing interface configured to provide diluent data associated with at least one diluent, wherein the diluent data includes one or more environmental properties specified per diluent and wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded biooils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils; a mixture data generator configured to generate, based on the technical properties of the target mixture data, on the alternative material data, and optionally on the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation; an environmental property data generator configured to generate, based on the mixture data and the one or more environmental properties of the alternative material data, environmental property data associated with the feedstock; a data providing interface configured to provide the mixture data for preparing the feedstock and providing environmental property data associated with the feedstock for linking a digital asset to the prepared feedstock.

[0013] In another aspect disclosed is a method for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking from at least two input materials selected from the group consisting of alternative materials and diluents, the method comprising retrieving or accessing target mixture data related to one or more properties of the feedstock; providing at least two input materials selected from the group consisting of alternative materials and diluents; retrieving or accessing alternative material data and diluent data related to one or more properties of said at least two input materials; comparing said alternative material data and diluent data related to one or more properties of said at least two input materials with the target mixture data related to the respective properties; determining whether or not all of said one or more properties of said at least two input materials conform with the target mixture data related to the respective properties; if at least one of said one or more properties of said at least two input materials does not conform with the target mixture data related to the respective properties, generating mixture data, based on the alternative material data, the diluent data, and the target mixture data, for a feedstock comprising at least two of said input materials; preparing, according to the generated mixture data, the feedstock by mixing at least two of said input materials; wherein all of the properties of said feedstock conform with the target mixture data; and wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the target mixture data is maximized and / or wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, is minimized.

[0014] In another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including alternative materials blended according to mixture data as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0015] In another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking associated with a digital asset including at least one decentral identifier and at least one representation linking to mixture data.

[0016] In another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including at least one alternative material, wherein at least one property of said at least one alternative material does not conform with the target mixture data, and wherein all of the properties of said feedstock conform with the target mixture data; and wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the target mixture data is maximized and / or wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, is minimized.

[0017] In another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including alternative materials and being prepared according to mixture data as generated according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein, wherein the feedstock is associated with a digital asset relating to or including the environmental property data as generated according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein. In another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including at least one alternative material and being prepared according to mixture data as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0018] In another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking associated with a digital asset including at least one decentral identifier and data related to the environmental property data as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0019] In yet another aspect disclosed is a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking associated with a digital asset relating to or including the environmental property data as generated according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0020] In another aspect disclosed is the use of mixture data as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking.

[0021] In another aspect disclosed is a method for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking by using the mixture data as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0022] In another aspect disclosed is the use of environmental property data associated with the feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking as generated according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein for linking a digital asset to the input mixture for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking.

[0023] In another aspect disclosed is at least one network node of a decentral communication network associated with the alternative material production, the transport of the alternative material, use of the alternative material, and / or storage of the alternative material configured to generate mixture data and / or environmental property data according to the methods or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0024] In another aspect the present disclosure relates to a computer element, such as a computer program or computer readable medium, with instructions, which when executed by one or more computing node(s) e.g. of a decentral network is configured to carry out the steps of the method(s) disclosed herein or is configured to be carried out by the apparatus(es) disclosed herein. In another aspect disclosed is at least one network node of a decentral communication network configured to provide access to a digital asset associated with a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking and relating to or including the environmental property data as generated according to the methods disclosed herein or by the apparatuses disclosed herein.

[0025] Any disclosure, embodiments and examples described herein relate to the methods, the systems, apparatuses, chemical products, feedstocks, uses, network nodes, and computer elements lined out above and below. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any of the embodiments and examples equally apply to all other embodiments and examples.

[0026] Embodiments

[0027] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be outlined by ways of examples. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to said embodiments and / or examples. The term “industrial operation” as used herein refers to the processes of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, or coking (delayed coking, fluid coking, flexicoking). The term “industrial operation facility” as used herein refers to the facility for performing the industrial operation, e.g., to a combustion plant, a partial oxidation facility, a fluid catalytic cracker, or a coker.

[0028] Alternative materials may include materials that are alternative materials to conventional fossil-based materials. Alternative materials may include materials that are alternative chemical input materials to fossil input materials. Alternative materials may include any type of input material that can replace fossil input materials for chemical processing, such as combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking. Alternative materials may include hydrocarbon mixtures suitable for chemical processing together with or in exchange for fossil input materials. Fossil input materials may include oil, coal, and natural gas. Fossil input materials may be non-renewable, non-recycled, and / or non-bio- based materials. Examples of alternative materials include recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based materials. Recycled materials may be produced from material waste. Renewable materials may be produced by using renewable energy to produce mixtures of hydrocarbons. Bio-based materials may be produced from renewable materials or materials from natural resources such as plants, agricultural residue, or food waste. The multiple alternative input materials may relate to one or more alternative input material type(s), wherein the alternative input material type may include recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable input material. The term “multiple” as used herein is to be understood as equivalent to the terms “more than one” or “at least two”, and preferably relates to “more than two” or “at least three”. The multiple alternative input materials may relate to one or more source material type(s) the multiple alternative input materials are produced from. The source material type may relate to an origin of the source material. The source material type may relate to waste type, natural resource type, and / or renewable energy type.

[0029] Alternative material data may be associated with one or more alternative material(s) and respective properties specified per alternative material. The alternative material data may relate to a quantity of alternative material and / or properties of the alternative material. In particular, the alternative material data may relate to properties selected from the group consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, and maximum particle size, preferably to the ash content. Further, the alternative material data may relate to one or more properties selected from the group consisting of acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon (H / C) molar ratio, heteroatom content (in particular nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, and chlorine content), and metal content (in particular arsenic content, lead content, mercury content, nickel content, silicon content, sodium content, and vanadium content), preferably selected from the group consisting of ash content, acid number, H / C molar ratio, N content, halogen content, Cl content, As content, Pb content, Hg content, and Si content.

[0030] More preferably the alternative material data relate to one or more properties selected from the group consisting of ash content, acid number, H / C molar ratio, Cl content, As content, Pb content, and / or Hg content.

[0031] The alternative material data may relate to a type of alternative material and / or properties of the alternative material. The alternative material data may include an alternative material identifier, a type of alternative material, a quantity of alternative materials and / or properties of the alternative material, such as technical and / or environmental properties. The type of alternative material, the quantity of alternative material, and / or the properties of the alternative material may be provided per alternative material or alternative material identifier. Multiple alternative material identifiers may be provided.

[0032] The quantity of alternative material may relate to the quantity of alternative material produced and / or accessible for use in the industrial operation. The quantity of alternative material may relate to the quantity of alternative material producible or produced with a specific property or multiple specific properties. The quantity of alternative material may relate to the quantity available for feedstock to be fed to the industrial operation. The quantity may specify the mass, the volume, the amount, or any other applicable measure relating to the quantity of alternative material produced or to be produced and available for use.

[0033] The alternative material type may relate to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material. The alternative material type may relate to one or more source material type(s) the alternative material is produced from. The source material type may relate to waste type, natural resource type, and / or renewable energy type. The alternative material type may relate to one or more origin(s) of the source material the alternative material is produced from.

[0034] In one embodiment, mixture data is generated by determining from the alternative material data the mixture that lies within the constraints provided by the target mixture data (i.e., within the industrial operation specification), wherein the property or the multiple properties of the alternative materials correspond at least in part to the property or the multiple properties of the feedstock for the industrial operation as specified by the target mixture data. The property or the multiple properties of the alternative materials may correspond at least in part to the property or the multiple properties of the feedstock for the industrial operation as specified by the target mixture data. The property or the multiple properties of the alternative materials may include composition properties and / or operation properties e.g. per alternative material.

[0035] In one embodiment the target mixture data relates to or is associated with or includes target environmental properties of the input mixture. The one or more technical properties of the input mixture may relate to or be associated with or include target environmental properties of the input mixture. Target environmental properties may include given or predefined environmental properties for the input mixture. Target environmental properties may include environmental properties required for the input mixture. Target environmental property / ies may include value(s) and / or range(s) and / or threshold(s). The use of target environmental property / ies may allow to generate mixture data considering such target environmental property / ies as constraints. This may ensure that the input mixture prepared based on the generated mixture data fulfils given target environmental property / ies. By using target environmental property / ies, the environmental impact of the input mixture may be adjusted to the needs of the operator operating the industrial operation.

[0036] In another embodiment, the target mixture data is associated with one or more properties of the feedstock for the industrial operation and may include technical properties of the industrial operation.

[0037] Alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials may include one or more technical properties specified per alternative material. The alternative material data may be associated with one or more technical properties. In another embodiment the one or more technical properties of the alternative material data relate to a quantity of alternative material, wherein the quantity of alternative material relates to the quantity of alternative material accessible for use in the industrial operation or accessible for preparation of the feedstock for the industrial operation.

[0038] In another embodiment the one or more technical properties of the alternative material data relate to one or more operation and / or composition properties of the one or more alternative material(s), wherein the composition property is associated with at least one or more substance(s) critical for the feedstock for the industrial operation, wherein the operation property is associated with one or more input mixture characteristics critical to processing the feedstock. Critical to the processing may relate to contaminations for the industrial operation. Contaminations may lead to malfunctions, yield losses or other loss effects leading to the industrial operation being less efficient or degrade.

[0039] In another embodiment at least one environmental property of the alternative material data relates to a type of alternative material. The alternative material type may relate to recycled, bio-based and / or renewable material. At least one environmental property of the alternative material may relate to a measure quantifying the impact of using the alternative material associated with the alternative material type for the industrial operation rather than conventional or fossil materials.

[0040] In another embodiment generating environmental property data associated with the input mixture includes aggregating one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material. The environmental property may relate to a measure related to the alternative material type. The measure may relate to mass equivalents, weight equivalents, hydrogen atom equivalents, carbon atom equivalents, methane equivalents or any other suitable measure for quantifying the environmental property of the alternative material.

[0041] The aggregation may relate to one or more alternative material types. The aggregation may relate to all alternative material types included in the input mixture. The aggregation may relate to all alternative material types included in the input mixture in relation to fossil and / or diluent materials contained in the input mixture. For example, the quantity or content of alternative materials contained in an input mixture also including conventional material may be determined and provided as environmental property data. For example, the quantity or content of different alternative material types contained in an input mixture may be determined per alternative material type and provided as environmental property data. The quantity may relate to an amount of alternative material as measure. The quantity may relate to equivalent amount of alternative material, e.g. based on mass equivalents, weight equivalents, hydrogen atom equivalents, carbon atom equivalents, methane equivalents or any other suitable measure for quantifying the environmental property of alternative material.

[0042] By using measure(s) it can be ensured that environmental properties of alternative materials can be counted. If the environmental property is measured by a common measure per environmental property type, the measures or values may be aggregated by summing the environmental properties. If the environmental property is not measured by a common measure per environmental property type, the measures or values may be converted to a common measure prior to summing the environmental properties.

[0043] In another embodiment generating environmental property data associated with the mixture includes converting one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material to one or more balancing unit(s) based on a conversion factor relating conventional material(s) to alternative material(s), relating the use of conventional material(s) to the use of alternative material(s) and / or relating to a difference in chemical and / or physical properties between conventional material(s) and alternative material(s). The balancing unit(s) may signify a quantitative measure of the respective environmental property of the alternative material. Different conversion factors may be used for different alternative materials, different alternative material types, and / or different industrial operation processes. By using balancing unit(s) the environmental properties can be counted in a common measure related to conventional materials while taking the difference to conventional materials into account. The reference to conventional materials hence allows for a more nuanced generation of environmental property data. The conventional material providing the reference environmental property may relate to conventional material used for the industrial operation.

[0044] For example, in the case of a combustion plant, the convention reference material may relate to heavy fuel oil and the reference property may refer to its viscosity. In the case of a partial oxidation facility, the conventional reference material may relate to heavy vacuum residue (HVR), and the reference property may refer to its H / C molar ratio. In the case of a fluid catalytic cracker, the conventional reference material may relate to vacuum gas oil and the reference property may refer to its hydrocarbon composition, particularly the content of paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics. In the case of a coker, e.g., aflexicoker, the conventional reference material may relate to heavy vacuum residue and the reference property may refer to its sulfur content.

[0045] In another embodiment generating environmental property data associated with the mixture includes converting one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material to one or more balancing unit(s) based on an - e.g. equivalent - quantity of conventional material(s) and / or an - e.g. equivalent - quantity of alternative material(s) in relation to the industrial process. Additionally or alternatively, generating environmental property data associated with the input mixture includes converting the one or more environmental properties to one or more balancing unit(s) based on a feedstock equivalent in relation to the industrial operation, such as hydrogen or carbon feedstock equivalent. The feedstock equivalent may relate conventional material(s) to alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties and / or the use of conventional input material(s) to the use of alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties.

[0046] Converting the one or more environmental properties to one or more balancing unit(s) may include determining the equivalent quantity and / or feedstock equivalent, such as hydrogen or carbon feedstock equivalent.

[0047] Converting the one or more environmental properties to one or more balancing unit(s) may relate to an amount of conventional material(s) and an amount of alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties. Converting the one or more environmental properties to one or more balancing unit(s) may include deriving the balancing unit from an amount of conventional material(s) and an amount of alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties. The conversion factor may be based on carbon feedstock equivalent, methane equivalent, mass equivalent, energy property equivalent or any other suitable measure quantifying the impact of using alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental attribute(s). The conversion to balancing units may include the conversion of the alternative material amount in view of an energy property including material losses that occur during the industrial operation.

[0048] Converting the one or more environmental properties to one or more balancing unit(s) may relate to an energy property of conventional material(s) and an energy property of alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties. Converting may include deriving the balancing unit from an energy property of conventional material(s) and an energy property of the alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties. For example, the energy property may be a lower or a higher heating value.

[0049] Mixture data specifying at least multiple alternative materials to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation may be generated based on the technical properties of the target mixture and the technical properties of the alternative material data. In another embodiment the mixture data is associated with instructions for preparing the feedstock for the industrial operation. The prepared mixture may be used within the industrial operation. For instance, the prepared feedstock may be used as input material for the industrial operation.

[0050] In another embodiment the feedstock for the industrial operation is prepared based on the mixture data.

[0051] The mixture data may relate to one or more fossil input material(s) and / or one or more diluent(s). In another embodiment mixture data is generated by determining from the alternative material data the mixture that lies within the constraints provided by the target mixture data. The property, in particular technical property, or the multiple properties, in particular technical properties, of the alternative materials may correspond at least in part to the property, in particular technical property, or the multiple properties, in particular technical properties, of the input mixture as specified by the target mixture data for the industrial operation. The property, in particular technical property, or the multiple properties, in particular technical properties, of the alternative materials may correspond at least in part to the property, in particular technical property, or the multiple properties, in particular technical properties, of the input mixture as specified by the target mixture data for the feedstock for the industrial operation. The property, in particular technical property, or the multiple properties, in particular technical properties, of the alternative materials may include composition and / or operation property e.g. per alternative material. In another embodiment linking the digital asset to the prepared input mixture includes assigning the environmental property data associated with the input mixture to at least one decentral identifier associated with the input mixture and to data related to the environmental property data. Assigning environmental property data associated with alternative material(s) to input mixtures may include the linking of the decentral identifier with the environmental property data. The decentral identifier may be a virtual identifier. The decentral identifier may be associated with the physical entity of the input mixture. This way the virtual identifier of the input material may be uniquely linked to the physical entity of the input mixture. Such linking may include a physical or virtual link of identifiers uniquely associated with the physical input mixture. For physical linking a physical identifier element such as a tag or code may be physically connected to the input mixture, e.g., by printing a QR code on the packaging unit containing the input mixture and linked to the decentral identifier. For virtual linking different identifiers associated with the physical input mixture may be linked to each other. For example, an order number, a batch number, LOT number or a combination thereof may be linked to each other.

[0052] Combustion is an exothermic reaction, typically between a carbon-containing fuel and an oxidant (e.g., air or oxygen), that produces oxidized, often gaseous products and liberates energy. The fuel may be solid, liquid, or gaseous. Fossil fuels have been and are combusted in huge amounts to generate energy, e.g., heat or power. Advantageously, combustible residues from other processes, which would be cumbersome to be converted otherwise to marketable products, are employed as fuels. Combustion processes are described, e.g., in M. Lackner, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, chapter “Combustion”, 2011, and the references cited therein.

[0053] Partial oxidation is a process to produce syngas, a mixture mainly of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, from carbonaceous feedstocks. In particular, it is suitable to convert high-boiling hydrocarbons like refinery residues, heavy oil, residual oil, heavy vacuum residue, bitumen, and the like to syngas. In principle, partial oxidation describes the reaction of hydrocarbons with an amount of oxygen that is insufficient for complete combustion. The process is carried out at elevated pressure, e.g., up to 15 MPa, and at high temperatures, e.g., between 1350 °C and 1600 °C.

[0054] Such partial oxidation reactions are known in the art and are for example disclosed in WO 2022 / 200532, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Vol. 16, Chapter: Gas Production, 2. Processes”, pages 443-455, 2012, and the references cited therein.

[0055] Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) is a process for converting high-boiling hydrocarbon fractions of petroleum (crude oils) into lower-boiling hydrocarbon products such as gasoline and light olefins. Heavy (vacuum) gas oil is one of the major FCC feedstocks (initial boiling point of 340 °C or higher at atmospheric pressure). In the fluid catalytic cracking process, the feedstock is heated to a high temperature at moderate pressures and contacted with a (typically powdered) catalyst. FCC processes are described, e.g., in G. Alfke et al., Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, chapter “Oil refining”, 2012, and the references cited therein.

[0056] A coker is a processing unit, typically in connection with an oil refinery, that converts refinery distillation residues to low-boiling hydrocarbon gases, naphtha, light and heavy gas oils, and petroleum coke. In the coking process, long chain hydrocarbons are cracked into shorter chain molecules while excess carbon is left behind in the form of petroleum coke. Coking processes include delayed coking, fluid coking, and flexicoking. Such processes are described, e.g., in H. Predel, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, chapter “Petroleum Coke”, 2014, pages 4-12, in G. Alfke et al., Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, chapter “Oil refining”, 2012, and the references cited therein.

[0057] The feedstock for the industrial operation may comprise one or more alternative material(s) and one or more diluent(s), in particular one or more fossil input material(s). The feedstock may comprise multiple alternative material(s) and one or more diluent(s), in particular one or more fossil input material(s). The feedstock may differ for different industrial operation facility types and different industrial operation facilities, e.g., due to differences in the facility designs and constructions. The feedstock may relate to target mixture data specifying one or more technical and / or environmental properties of the feedstock to be suitable for the industrial operation. The feedstock may relate to target mixture data specifying one or more grades of feedstocks.

[0058] The mass fraction of the one or more alternative materials in the feedstock for the industrial operation can reach up to about 5 %, up to about 10 %, up to about 20 %, up to about 30 %, up to about 40 %, up to about 50 %, up to about

[0059] 60 %, up to about 70 %, up to about 80 %, up to about 90 %, or up to about 100 %.

[0060] The mass fraction of the one or more alternative materials that do not conform with the industrial operation target mixture data in the feedstock for the industrial operation can reach up to about 5 %, up to about 10 %, up to about

[0061] 15 %, up to about 20 %, up to about 25 %, up to about 30 %, up to about 35 %, up to about 40 %, up to about 45 %, or up to about 50 %.

[0062] The mass fraction of the one or more diluents in the feedstock for the industrial operation can reach up to about 10 %, up to about 20 %, up to about 30 %, up to about 40 %, up to about 50 %, up to about 60 %, up to about 70 %, up to about 80 %, up to about 90 %, or up to about 100 %.

[0063] In one embodiment, the target mixture data specifies constraints or boundaries for the one or more technical properties of the feedstock to be used in the industrial operation. The target mixture data may be associated with one or more technical properties of the feedstock. The target mixture data may be pre-defined per plant or facility. The target mixture data may specify one or more technical properties of the feedstock. The target mixture data may be retrieved, e.g., obtained from experience with the process over time or derived from results of dedicated experimentation (e.g., design of experiments) to establish the boundaries of proper process performance. Also, target mixture data may be accessed by calculations or in the form of information available without performing own experimentation, e.g., as specifications set by service providers, facility operators, or plant engineers. Target mixture data may further be defined according to goals other than meeting technical requirements, in particular according to sustainability goals, e.g., to achieve certain mass fractions of recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based input materials.

[0064] For instance, typical specifications of industrial operation facilities referred to herein may relate to one or more operation properties selected from the group consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, and maximum particle size, and preferably to the ash content.

[0065] Further, typical specifications of industrial operation facilities may relate to one or more composition properties selected from the group consisting of acid number, H / C molar ratio, heteroatom content (in particular nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, and chlorine content), and metal content (in particular arsenic content, lead content, mercury content, nickel content, silicon content, sodium content, and vanadium content), preferably selected from the group consisting of acid number, H / C molar ratio, N content, halogen content, Cl content, As content, Pb content, Hg content, and Si content.

[0066] More preferably the specifications of industrial operation facilities relate to one or more properties selected from the group consisting of ash content, acid number, H / C molar ratio, Cl content, As content, Pb content, and / or Hg content. Typical specifications of combustion plants, partial oxidation facilities, fluid catalytic crackers, and cokers may comprise the following limits (values given in %, ppm, and ppb relate to mass fractions):

[0067] Density (e.g., as determined via ASTM D 4052) not more than 0.85 g / mL, preferably not more than 0.82 g / mL, more preferably not more than 0.80 g / mL.

[0068] Ash content (e.g., as determined via ISO 6245) not more than 2500 ppm, preferably not more than 2000 ppm, more preferably not more than 1500 ppm, more preferably not more than 1000 ppm.

[0069] Maximum particle size (e.g., as determined via static light scattering, e.g., as determined via ASTM 2651) not more than 250 pm, preferably not more than 200 pm, more preferably not more than 150 pm.

[0070] Acid number (e.g., as determined via ASTM 664) not more than 100 mg(KOH) / g(oil), preferably not more than 50 mg(KOH) / g(oil), more preferably not more than 30 mg(KOH) / g(oil), more preferably not more than 20 mg(KOH) / g(oil), more preferably not more than 12 mg(KOH) / g(oil), more preferably not more than 10 mg(KOH) / g(oil), more preferably not more than 8 mg(KOH) / g(oil), more preferably not more than 5 mg(KOH) / g(oil).

[0071] H / C molar ratio (e.g., H and C determined by elemental analysis ASTM D5291) not more than 4.1 , preferably not more than 2.3, more preferably not more than 2.

[0072] Nitrogen content (e.g., as determined via ASTM D 6069) not more than 12000 ppm, preferably not more than 10000 ppm, more preferably not more than 5000 ppm, more preferably not more than 1000 ppm.

[0073] Oxygen content (e.g., as determined via ASTM D 5622-24) not more than 10000 ppm, preferably not more than 7000 ppm, more preferably not more than 5000 ppm.

[0074] Sulfur content (e.g., as determined via ASTM D 5453) not more than 50000 ppm, preferably not more than 40000 ppm, more preferably not more than 10000 ppm.

[0075] Halogen content (e.g., as determined via UOP 779) not more than 30 ppm, preferably not more than 20 ppm, more preferably not more than 10 ppm.

[0076] Chlorine content (e.g., as determined via UOP 779) not more than 30 ppm, preferably not more than 15 ppm, more preferably not more than 5 ppm.

[0077] Arsenic content (e.g., as determined via ICP-OES) not more than 10 ppb, preferably not more than 5 ppb, more preferably not more than 3 ppb.

[0078] Lead content (e.g., as determined via ICP-OES) not more than 10 ppb, preferably not more than 5 ppb, more preferably not more than 3 ppb.

[0079] Mercury content (e.g., as determined via UOP 938-B) not more than 10 ppb, preferably not more than 5 ppb, more preferably not more than 3 ppb.

[0080] Nickel content (e.g., as determined via UOP 938-B) not more than 10 ppb, preferably not more than 5 ppb, more preferably not more than 3 ppb. Silicon content (e.g., as determined via ICP-MS) not more than 200 ppm, preferably not more than 100 ppm, more preferably not more than 50 ppm.

[0081] Sodium content (e.g., as determined via ICP-OES) not more than 10 ppm, preferably not more than 5 ppm, more preferably not more than 1 ppm.

[0082] Vanadium content (e.g., as determined via ICP-OES) not more than 50 ppb, preferably not more than 25 ppb, more preferably not more than 5 ppb.

[0083] In one embodiment, the mixture data includes machine-readable instructions for monitoring and / or controlling the preparation of the feedstock, wherein the feedstock is prepared based on the mixture data. The mixture data may specify multiple alternative materials to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation facility. The mixture data may relate to instructions for preparing the feedstock.

[0084] In one embodiment, the alternative material data relates to a quantity of alternative material, a type of alternative material, and / or properties of the alternative material, wherein the quantity of alternative material relates to the quantity of alternative material accessible for use in the industrial operation, wherein the alternative material type relates to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material, wherein at least one property of the alternative material includes composition property, operation property, and / or environmental property. The alternative material data may relate to one or more operation properties and / or composition properties of the one or more alternative material(s). The composition property may be associated with at least one or more substance(s) critical for the feedstock for the industrial operation. The composition property may specify at least one or more critical substance(s) and their respective critical quantity, such as a threshold or range quantity, for the feedstock. The operation property may be associated with one or more feedstock characteristics critical to processing the feedstock by the industrial operation. The operation property may specify one or more critical limit(s) of feedstock characteristics. Critical may refer to any characteristic or substance that may impede the processing of the mixture, negatively affect the processing of the mixture, e.g., by reducing yields, and / or the negatively impact the equipment the feedstock is processed by, e.g., through degradation. Any one or more of the properties that are related to the industrial operation specifications described above may be considered critical for the industrial operation. In particular, the industrial operations referred to herein may be affected by fouling, coke formation, corrosion, or (downstream) catalyst poisoning. Also, a high content of solid particles in the feedstock may lead, for instance, to a blockage of spray nozzles in the industrial operation facility. Of note, the extent and criticality of such effects and thus the corresponding limits of feedstock characteristics will depend on the particular features of the equipment used, e.g., the susceptibility to corrosion will depend on the steel quality, the likelihood of spray nozzle blockage will depend on the nozzle dimensions etc.

[0085] The alternative material data may be provided per alternative material. The alternative material data per alternative material may be associated with the alternative input material type. The alternative material data may be provided per alternative material for multiple alternative materials. The alternative material data may be provided per alternative material for multiple alternative materials of different types. The one property or more properties may be associated with one or more substances critical for the industrial operation input mixture. The one property or more properties per alternative material may specify one or more critical substance(s) for the industrial operation. The one property or more properties per alternative material may specify one or more feedstock characteristics critical to the industrial operation of the feedstock. The alternative material data may be retrieved by evaluations and investigations, e.g., by making use of technologies and / or methodologies of physical and / or chemical analytics, e.g., by measurement of physical parameters or by elemental analyses. Also, alternative material data may be accessed by calculations or in the form of information available without performing own experimentation, e.g., as certificates of analysis provided by suppliers, as specification sheets set by customers that must be met by suppliers, and the like.

[0086] The alternative material data, e.g., per alternative material may be associated with available quantities of alternative material to be fed to the industrial operation facility. The target mixture data may be associated with capacity of feedstock to be fed to the industrial operation facility per time interval. Mixture data may be generated based on available quantities of alternative material and / or capacity of the feedstock for the industrial operation. Mixture data may be generated depending on the capacity of feedstock and / or available quantities of alternative material.

[0087] In one embodiment, mixture data is generated by determining weighted quantities of alternative material(s) depending on the one property or more properties per alternative material and the target mixture data. Generating mixture data may include determining weighted quantities of alternative material(s) depending on the one property or more properties per alternative material. Generating mixture data may include determining weighted quantities of alternative materials) depending on the target mixture data for the industrial operation and optionally for further industrial operations, wherein mixture data is provided per industrial operation. The weighted sum of at least part of the one property or more properties per alternative material may be lower than or equal to at least part of the target composition for at least one industrial operation. The mixture data may be provided for multiple industrial processes, wherein mixture data is provided per industrial process.

[0088] In one embodiment diluent data is retrieved and / or accessed to generate mixture data, if based on the alternative material data no mixture data associated with the feedstock is generated that lies in the constraints or boundaries specified by the target mixture data. Diluent data may be retrieved by evaluations and investigations, e.g., by making use of technologies and / or methodologies of physical and / or chemical analytics, e.g., by measurement of physical parameters or by elemental analyses. Also, diluent data may be accessed by calculations or in the form of information available without performing own experimentation, e.g., as certificates of analysis provided by suppliers, as specification sheets set by customers that must be met by suppliers, and the like. Diluent data may be provided for generation of the mixture data. The diluent data may be associated with the properties of one or more diluent(s) including fossil input material. The mixture data may be generated based on the alternative material data, the target mixture data and / or the diluent data.

[0089] The target mixture data may be provided by one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the industrial operation. The target mixture data may be provided to one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the mixture generation or the alternative material provider or producer. The alternative material data may be provided by one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the alternative material provider or producer. The alternative material data may be provided to one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the input mixture generation or the industrial operation. The environmental property data may be provided to one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the input mixture generation and / or the industrial operation. The mixture generation service may be implemented by one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the industrial operation and / or the alternative material producer. The mixture generation service may be implemented by one or more mixture generation node(s) of the decentral network, wherein the target mixture data and / or the alternative material data may be provided to the one or more mixture generation node(s) by one or more node(s) associated with the industrial operation and / or the alternative material producer.

[0090] In one embodiment, a feedstock for the industrial operation is prepared by mixing at least two input materials (also termed blending). Methods and approaches to perform such mixing are known to the one of skill in the art. Notably, mixing may be carried out in advance to the industrial operation process, thus requiring storage and / or transport of the blended feedstock, shortly or immediately prior to feeding the blended feedstock to the industrial operation facility, or directly when feeding the input materials into the industrial operation facility. Also, mixing may be accomplished by separately feeding different input materials at different positions of the industrial operation facility such that the blend is formed within the facility.

[0091] Brief description of the drawings

[0092] In the following, the present disclosure is further described with reference to the enclosed figures. The embodiments and examples are illustrative embodiments and examples to further line out the concepts lined out herein. The figures include schematic illustrations and shall not be considered limiting. Other embodiments and examples that fall under the concepts lined out herein are possible and may not be explicitly described herein.

[0093] Fig. 1 illustrates schematically an example of recycled, renewable, and bio-based material flows from production and / or storage of the materials to using the materials as feedstocks for the industrial operation.

[0094] Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a flow chart of a method for blending a feedstock mixture including one or more alternative input material(s) and / or for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of a feedstock for the industrial operation and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock and / or for preparing such feedstock.

[0095] Fig. 3a illustrates schematically an example of a data structure for an industrial operation feedstock specification.

[0096] Fig. 3b illustrates schematically an example of a data structure for alternative material data.

[0097] Fig. 3c illustrates schematically an example of a data structure for mixture data.

[0098] Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a flow chart of a method for blending a feedstock mixture including alternative materials and / or diluents.

[0099] Fig. 5 illustrates schematically an operating system including a mixture generator configured to access target mixture data and alternative material data for generating mixture data.

[0100] Fig. 6 illustrates schematically a user interface for generating mixture data and blending.

[0101] Figs. 7a, b illustrate schematically blending profiles for different industrial operation processes. Fig. 8 illustrates schematically a decentral network including a mixture generator service implemented by a node associated with the industrial operation performer.

[0102] Fig. 9 illustrates schematically a decentral network including a mixture generator service implemented by a node associated with an alternative material producer or provider.

[0103] Fig. 10 illustrates schematically a decentral network including industrial operation node(s), alternative material provider node(s) and an additional node implementing the mixture generator service.

[0104] Fig. 11 illustrates schematically an example protocol for peer-to-peer communication between different nodes of the decentral network.

[0105] Detailed description

[0106] The following embodiments are mere examples for implementing the method, the apparatus, the system, use, or applications disclosed herein and shall not be considered limiting.

[0107] Fig. 1 illustrates schematically an example of recycled, renewable, and bio-based material flows from production and / or storage of the materials to using the materials as feedstocks for the industrial operation.

[0108] To reduce fossil material depletion and to establish carbon neutral material streams, alternative material streams are increasingly replacing fossil or conventional material streams. In this context fossil or conventional material streams may refer to materials produced from fossil inputs. Alternative material streams may refer to material streams produced from recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based inputs. Such materials streams may be particularly relevant for the industrial operation.

[0109] Recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based materials may be used as alternative materials to fossil materials. Recycled materials may be produced from material waste collected at the end-of-life of products, such as plastic waste, textile waste, tire waste or the like. The waste product may be mechanically, chemically, and / or thermally recycled to produce recycled material such as pyrolysis oil, electro-jet fuels, liquefied methane, hydrogen, or ammonia. Renewable materials may be produced by using renewable energy to produce liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons. Production pathways may include Power to Liquid (PtL) or Sun-to-Liquid (StL), which are based on the conversion of renewable energy to liquid fuels and chemicals such as methanol, oxymethylene ether (OME), ammonia, and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) products. The renewable energy may include wind, hydro, and / or solar energy. For example, wind, hydro, and / or solar generated electricity may be used for hydrogen production through methane pyrolysis or water electrolysis which combined with carbon captured from air may be processed to synthesis gas for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process. Further for example, wind, hydro, and / or solar generated thermal heat may be used for thermochemical processes to convert H2O and CO2 to synthesis gas for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process. Bio-based materials may be produced from renewable materials or materials from natural resources such as plants, agricultural residue, or food waste. The renewable materials may be chemically and / or biologically converted, e.g., through fermentation to produce bio-based feedstock such as bio-ethanol, bio-naphtha, or bio-methanol.

[0110] In particular, the term “alternative materials” encompasses bio-oils, manufactured from biomass, as well as pyrolysis oils, manufactured from plastic waste. Bio-oil designates a liquid compound mixture mainly comprising highly oxygenated compounds (e.g., glycerides, esters, carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, furans, and sugars) and water, while its exact composition depends on the biomass feedstocks and the processing steps applied. The term bio-oil includes in particular vegetable oils like rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and palm oil, waste cooking oil, tall oil, animal fats, and oils obtained by thermochemical conversion of biomass, e.g., biomass-derived pyrolysis or hydrothermal liquefaction oils.

[0111] Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. The biomass used for the manufacture of bio-oils may be any material of plant or animal origin that is in principle suitable to be converted at least into bio-oils. In particular, the term biomass comprises plants or parts thereof like crops, wood, or residues thereof, marine organisms like algae, and bio waste such as organic food waste, e.g., animal fat from meat industry waste, fish fat from fish processing waste, or used cooking oil. The bio-oils can also be manufactured from more than one of the above-mentioned sources.

[0112] Preferably, said biomass of plant origin comprises or is derived from algae, oil crops, oil palms, soybeans, rapeseed, mustard, flax, cottonseed, sunflower, corn, hemp, field pennycress, pongamia, jatropha, macauba palm, mahua, came- lina, salicornia, carinata, eucalyptus, lignocellulose, wood, forestry residues, agricultural residues, crop residues, residues from vegetable oil production, green waste, food waste, and used vegetable cooking oil, more preferably it comprises or is derived from algae, oil crops, oil palms, soybeans, rapeseed, pongamia, jatropha, macauba palm, camelina, and carinata.

[0113] Preferably, said biomass of animal origin comprises or is derived from animal fat, livestock-related products like tallow, fish fat, or food waste.

[0114] The conversion of biomass into bio-oil may comprise both mechanical and physical operations, like harvesting and collecting as well as crushing, cracking, cutting, shredding, grinding, chipping, milling, extrusion, irradiation, squeezing, pressing, filtering, sieving, adsorption, and thermal treatments such as drying and torrefaction, and chemical processes, like extraction, distillation, thermochemical conversions like pyrolysis or hydrothermal liquefaction, hydrolysis, saponification, neutralization, or ketonization. Also, the mechanical, physical, and / or chemical separation of the products and by-products of said operations and processes, in particular the separation of gaseous, liquid, and solid fractions, forms part of the biomass processing. It is to be understood that the manufacture of bio-oil may also comprise purification steps, e.g., to remove any by-products, contaminants, or impurities that may be detrimental for the further use of the bio-oil.

[0115] The term “pyrolysis oils” as used herein refers to liquid compound mixtures manufactured from plastic waste by pyrolysis.

[0116] In the context of the present invention, the term “plastic waste” refers to any plastic material discarded after use, i.e., the plastic material has reached the end of its useful life and is considered post-consumer waste. The plastic waste can be pure polymeric plastic waste, mixed plastic waste or film waste, optionally including soiling, adhesive materials, fillers, residues etc. The plastic waste may have an oxygen content, a nitrogen content, sulfur content, halogen content and optionally also a heavy metal content. The plastic waste can originate from any plastic material containing source. Accordingly, the term “plastic waste” includes industrial and domestic plastic waste and including used tires and agricultural and horticultural plastic material.

[0117] Typically, plastic waste is a mixture of different plastic materials, including hydrocarbon plastics, e.g., polyolefins such as polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE) and polypropylene, polystyrene, and copolymers thereof, etc., and polymers composed of carbon, hydrogen, and other elements such as chlorine, fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, silicone, etc., for example chlorinated plastics, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), etc., nitrogen-containing plastics, such as polyamides (PA), polyurethanes (PU), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), etc., oxygen-containing plastics such as polyesters, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), etc., silicones and / or sulfur bridges crosslinked rubbers.

[0118] Typically, the plastic material comprises additives, such as processing aids, plasticizers, flame retardants, pigments, light stabilizers, lubricants, impact modifiers, antistatic agents, antioxidants, etc. These additives may comprise elements other than carbon and hydrogen. For example, bromine is mainly found in connection to flame retardants. Heavy metal compounds may be used as lightfast pigments and / or stabilizers in plastics. Cadmium, zinc, and lead may be present in heat stabilizers and slip agents used in plastics manufacturing. The plastic waste can also contain residues. Residues in the sense of the invention are contaminants adhering to the plastic waste. The additives and residues are usually present in an amount of less than 50 wt.-%, preferably less than 30 wt.-%, more preferably less than 20 wt.-%, even more preferably less than 10 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the dry weight plastic.

[0119] Examples of rubber waste (which is also considered “plastic waste” in the sense of the present invention) include end- of-life tires, rubber waste produced during manufacturing processes and discarded rubber containing products such as latex examining gloves and gaskets. End-of-life tires comprise further ingredients such as textiles and organic and inorganic additives which may be separated from the rubber portion of end-of-life tires prior to pyrolysis. Pyrolysis oils obtained by pyrolysis of (predominantly) end-of-life tires are also known as tire pyrolysis oils (TPO).

[0120] In the context of the present invention, the term “pyrolysis” relates to a thermal decomposition or degradation of a source such as plastic waste under inert conditions and results in a gas, a liquid, and a solid char fraction (Note: The remarks on pyrolysis of plastic waste to obtain pyrolysis oils apply equally to the pyrolysis of biomass to obtain bio-oils, as defined herein.). During the pyrolysis, the source is converted in a pyrolysis unit into a great variety of chemicals including gases such as H2, Ci-4-alkanes, C2-4-alkenes, ethyne, propyne, 1 -butyne, a pyrolysis oil having a boiling temperature of about 25 °C to about 500 °C and char. In addition, water is formed during the pyrolysis which may be partially dispersed in the pyrolysis oil and may be partially contacted with the pyrolysis oil in a separate phase. The water formed during pyrolysis comprises various organic compounds and / or salts thereof which were also formed during the pyrolysis.

[0121] The term “pyrolysis” includes slow pyrolysis, fast pyrolysis, flash catalysis and catalytic pyrolysis. These pyrolysis types differ regarding process temperature, heating rate, residence time, feed particle size, etc. resulting in different product quality. The pyrolysis unit may be operated adiabatically, isothermal ly, non adiabatically, non-isothermally, or combinations thereof. The pyrolysis reactions of this disclosure may be carried out in a single stage or in multiple stages. For example, the pyrolysis unit can comprise two reactor vessels fluidly connected in series. Bio-oils derived from biomass and pyrolysis oils derived from plastic waste may contain large amounts of heteroatoms like oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, halogens like chlorine, and metals which often makes them unsuitable in pure form for direct use in many processes like combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, e.g., they may cause corrosion, fouling, and catalyst poisoning. Thus, said oils are often upgraded in a time-, resource-, and energyconsuming process to improve their characteristics and suitability for further downstream processing like combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking. Among the major pathways of such upgrading is the catalytic hydrotreatment of these oils, which includes hydrogenation, decarboxylation, decarbonylation, hydroisomerization, hy- drodemetalation, and hydrocracking processes under high temperature and pressure conditions, frequently also including a catalytic isomerization step, resulting in a hydrocarbon mixture. This product mixture may be further separated into gaseous and liquid fractions that may constitute valuable transportation fuels and chemical feedstocks. Thus, upgraded, in particular hydroprocessed, bio-oils and pyrolysis oils may be obtained.

[0122] Owing to the diversification of input material streams including fossil, recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based materials, the properties of material streams differ. For example, depending on the waste composition used for recycling, the properties of the recycled material can vary. Similarly, depending on the production pathway and / or the renewable input material, properties of the renewable and / or bio-based material can vary. Further fluctuations in input material quality and composition may be introduced by the currently often limited availabilities of recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based material streams of desired quality.

[0123] This variation leads to challenges for industrial operations, since each industrial operation is associated with a specification of the feedstocks that must be adhered to. The term specification as used herein refers to a set of material properties and associated acceptance criteria that need to be met to ensure proper performance of the industrial operation. This for example concerns operation properties like density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, melting point, freeze point, or flash point, and composition properties like impurity concentration such as sulfur content, H / C molar ratio, or hydrocarbon content, such as branched- and straight-chain alkanes (hydrocarbon chains), naphthenes (cycloalkanes), olefins or aromatic hydrocarbons, such as alkylbenzenes (single ring) or alkylnaphthalenes (double ring).

[0124] By blending alternative materials in a targeted manner based on the requirement of the industrial operation in which the blend is processed, alternative materials can be used more effectively in ecosystems with diverse industrial operations while reliably managing the quality constraints industrial operations impose on feedstocks. In particular, generating the mixture data for blending the alternative materials available to one or more industrial operations based on target mixture data specific to the industrial operation, allows for reliable, effective and efficient usage of alternative materials. Further by generating environmental property data associated with such blends allows for reliable tracking or monitoring of the environmental performance of such blends, for example within production chains involving the production of chemical products and end products.

[0125] In particular, combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking are industrial operations known to have rather narrow specification limits, i.e., requiring feedstocks of uniform and / or continuously high quality. Thus, the term “feedstock” as used herein refers to a feedstock suitable for use in such industrial operation, i.e., meeting specifications of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and / or coking. On the other hand, said processes being large volume industrial operations, there is high a high need to reduce the use of fossil input materials as much as possible. However, alternative materials of suitable quality that originate from recycled, renewable, and / or bio-based sources are currently not available in sufficient amounts. Thus, the input material basis for said processes must be broadened, for which the blending approaches described herein provide a practicable solution. Also, the described methods allow for an optimized use of available alternative input materials that are in pure form unsuited as feedstocks for said industrial operations. In addition, options are provided to control environmental attributes of the obtained products and to minimize the use of fossil input material while the process specifications continue to be met.

[0126] Thus, the blend obtained by the processes according to the present invention may be optimized with respect to one or more of the following objectives: maximization of the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the industrial operation target mixture data, i.e., maximum broadening of the feedstock basis; minimization of the fraction of the input material that conforms best with the industrial operation target mixture data, i.e., preserving maximum flexibility for later blending processes by sparing the most conforming in-spec input material; minimization of the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, i.e., maximum renewable, recycled, and / or bio-based content; maximization of the sum of distances of blend properties from the industrial operation target mixture data, i.e., maximum safety margin from the industrial operation specification; maximization of the recycled and / or bio-based content of the blend; adjustment of the recycled and / or bio-based content of the blend to a desired target value.

[0127] The terms “maximize” and “minimize” fractions or contents, respectively, as used herein refer to adjusting the fractions or contents to the highest and lowest values, respectively, that are feasible, reasonable, or allowed, e.g., for a feedstock to meet certain specifications. In particular, the term “maximize” includes adjusting fractions or contents to more than 50 %, more than 60 %, more than 70 %, preferably more than 80 %, more preferably more than 90 %, even more preferably more than 95 %, most preferably more than 98 % of said highest value. Likewise the term “minimize” includes adjusting fractions or contents to less than 150 %, less than 140 %, less than 130 %, preferably less than 120 %, more preferably less than 110 %, even more preferably less than 105 %, most preferably less than 102 % of said lowest value.

[0128] For the industrial operation, different grades specifying different operation properties and / or composition properties may be defined. For instance, combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking may be sensitive to certain levels of impurities that can lead to corrosion in the process equipment, fouling, coke formation, or (downstream) catalyst poisoning. Also, solid particles in the feedstock may eventually block spray nozzles in the industrial operation facility. Of note, the extent and criticality of such effects and thus the corresponding limits and acceptance criteria of the feedstock will depend on the particular features of the equipment used, e.g., the susceptibility to corrosion will depend on the steel quality, the likelihood of spray nozzle blockage will depend on the nozzle dimensions etc. Other relevant properties may include the operation properties and composition properties described hereinbefore as being relevant for the industrial operation. To use alternative materials effectively and to manage the quality constraints that the industrial operation imposes on feedstocks, a method for blending feedstock mixtures including alternative input materials is proposed. In addition, a method for monitoring and / or controlling feeds is proposed. The proposed methods allow for efficient usage of alternative materials, for broadening the accessible input material basis, thus reducing fossil material depletion, and for effective distribution of alternative materials available for the industrial operation. To track the environmental properties of blended feedstocks or input mixtures reliably, further proposed are methods for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of such input mixtures.

[0129] Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a flow chart of a method for blending a feedstock mixture for the industrial operation including one or more alternative input material(s) and / or for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of such feedstock and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock and / or for preparing such feedstock.

[0130] The target mixture data associated with one or more property / ies of the feedstock for the industrial operation may be provided. The property / ies of the feedstock may be pre-defined per industrial operation facility. The properties of the feedstock may relate to operational properties, such as density, viscosity, ash content, and maximum particle size, composition properties, such as impurities, specific molecule or atom content or the like, or any combination thereof. Target mixture data may be provided for partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, coking, and further industrial operations including one or more type(s) of industrial operations, which may comprise catalytic reactions. For example, the target mixture data may be provided per industrial operation for the further industrial operations. The industrial operation type may include one or more chemical operation(s) like partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, coking, or gasification, one or more transport operation(s) like aviation, public transport, or automotive fuels, one or more power generation operation(s) like combustion, gas turbine fuels for power generation, or any combinations thereof.

[0131] The target mixture data may specify properties of the feedstock mixture related to technical requirements the input mixture has to fulfill in order to be used as feedstock for the industrial operation. The target mixture data may specify properties of the feedstock mixture, such as threshold level(s) and / or ranges for properties, the mixture has to fulfill in order to be used as a feedstock for the industrial operation. Such target mixture data may vary depending e.g. on the process layout, the equipment layout, the operation conditions, the operation location, the environmental targets, or other factors characterizing the industrial operation process. The target mixture data may specify required properties of the feedstock mixture and optional properties of the feedstock mixture. This way the most important properties may be flagged to ensure suitability for the industrial operation. The target mixture data may specify required environmental property / ies.

[0132] Target mixture data may specify thresholds, such as upper and / or lower limits, relating to the composition and / or operation properties of the feedstock, in particular to those described hereinbefore as being relevant for the industrial operation, and / or to the environmental property / ies of the feedstock. For example, the composition properties may relate to the PIONA composition (i.e. contents of n-paraffins, iso-paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics), to the H / C molar ratio, or to impurity levels for the industrial operation such as oxygen content, nitrogen content, sulfur content, or metal content. Further for example, the operation properties may relate to operation characteristics for the industrial operation such as density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, or final boiling point. Further for example, the environmental property / ies may relate to target environmental property / ies the prepared input mixture is required to have. Target mixture data may specify upper and / or lower limits relating to the environmental properties of the feedstock. Environmental properties may include the carbon footprint, the recycled content, the renewable content, the bio-based content, or any other applicable measure for environmental impact of the feedstock.

[0133] An example of a data structure for an industrial operation feedstock specification (e.g., target mixture data) is illustrated in Fig. 3a.

[0134] The target mixture data specifies as an example three impurities and two operation properties. The industrial operation may be sensitive to heteroatoms as impurity (impurity 3) leading to fouling, coke formation, corrosion, or (downstream) catalyst poisoning. Further for example, the industrial operation may require an upper density threshold.

[0135] Turning back to Fig, 2, the alternative material data associated with one or more alternative materials and their properties may be provided. The properties of the alternative materials may be measured and / or derived from measurement before, during and / or after their production process. The alternative material data may relate to an alternative material identifier, a type of alternative material, a quantity of alternative material and / or properties of the alternative material. The type of alternative material, the quantity of alternative material and / or the properties of the alternative material may be provided per alternative material or alternative material identifier. Multiple alternative material identifiers may be provided. The type of alternative material, the quantity of alternative material and / or the properties of the alternative material may be provided per alternative material identifier. Multiple alternative material identifiers and type per identifier may be provided. The quantity of alternative material and / or the properties of the alternative material may be provided per alternative material identifier and type.

[0136] The alternative material type may relate to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material. The alternative material type may relate to one or more source material type(s) the alternative material is produced from. The source material type may relate to recycled waste type such as plastic waste or food waste. The source material type may relate to natural resources such as sugarcane or algae. Source material type may relate to renewable energy types used to produce the source material such as wind, solar, and / or hydro, which in turn was used to produce the alternative material. The alternative material type may relate to one or more origin(s) of the source material the alternative material is produced from. Origin may relate to the origin of the source material such as municipal, post-consumer, or industrial waste. Origin may relate to the industry or the brand the source material originates from. Origin may relate to the agricultural farm or processor the source material originates from. Origin may relate to the renewable energy source such as off-shore or on-shore wind farms, solar parks, or hydropower stations the energy to produce the material originates from.

[0137] The quantity of alternative material may relate to the quantity available for feedstock to be fed to an industrial operation facility. The quantity may specify the mass, the volume, the amount, or any other applicable measure relating to the quantity of alternative material produced or to be produced and available for use.

[0138] The properties of the alternative materials may resemble at least in part the properties of the feedstock as specified by the target mixture data for the industrial operation. The properties may include composition properties, operation properties, and / or environmental properties per alternative material as described above. The properties of the alternative materials may differ per alternative material.

[0139] An example of a data structure for alternative material data is illustrated in Fig. 3b. The alternative material data in the illustrated example relates to one bio-oil and to one pyrolysis oil with differing properties relating to impurities and operation properties including density and viscosity. The properties of the pyrolysis oils may resemble at least in part the properties of the feedstock as specified by the target mixture data.

[0140] Turning back to Fig. 2, based on the target mixture data and the alternative material data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation facility is generated.

[0141] The mixture data may be generated based on the full set or a subset of alternative material data. For example, the alternative material data may be checked with regard to the properties provided by the material data per alternative material identifier and the properties specified by the target mixture data. The alternative material identifiers relating to properties specified by the target mixture data may be selected for the mixture generation. The alternative material identifiers relating to specified properties required according to the target mixture data may be selected for the mixture generation. This way unsuitable alternative materials signified by the alternative material data or incomplete data sets may be disregarded from the mixture generation making the method more reliable and speeding up the mixture generation. In other words, the alternative material data may be validated with respect to the properties provided per alternative material identifier. Such validation may include the matching of properties specified per alternative material identifier and the target mixture data. The alternative material identifiers relating to specified properties required according to the target mixture data may be validated and selected for the mixture generation.

[0142] For generating the mixture data, different approaches and options exist. The mixture data may be generated based on scoring approaches, optimization approaches, physicochemical modelling approaches, data-driven modelling approaches, and / or hybrid approaches combining physicochemical and data-driven modeling.

[0143] The scoring approach may include determining a score per alternative material for the industrial operation. In addition, a score per environmental property per input mixture may be determined. For the scoring, the properties required for the industrial operation may be selected and optionally prioritized. The score per alternative material may include determining a score per property of the alternative material and the respective property specified by the target mixture data that measures the distance of the property of the alternative material to the respective property specified by the target mixture data. Based on the per property score an accumulated and optionally normalized score per alternative material identifier may be determined. The per property scores may further include a penalty depending on the relevance of the specific property for the industrial operation, e.g., if the property is required or optional. The per environmental property score may be determined by determining environmental property data associated with a candidate set of mixture data and comparing the environmental property data per candidate set with the target environmental property data. Based on the penalized score the accumulated score may be determined. Based on the accumulated score the alternative materials suitable for the industrial operation may be selected for mixing. The scores may be normalized e.g. to a relative scale of percentage. The optimization approach may include determining weighted quantities of alternative material(s) depending on the properties per alternative material identifier depending on or under the constraints of the target mixture data. Depending on or under the constraints of the target mixture data may refer to the weighted sum of at least part of the properties of the alternative materials complying at least in part with the target properties of the feedstock. Based on the weights, the alternative materials suitable for the industrial operation and the quantity of alternative material determined by the weight may be selected for mixing. In mathematical terms an objective function or cost function may be minimized under defined constraints:

[0144] Default value for U =1

[0145] Output: vector of weights i=1,..,N_m denote the measured analytical properties j=1 ,..,N_s denote the alternative material samples xjj: Matrix of measured properties for alternative material samples t_j: Vector of allowed properties in the mixture according to the target specification Outputs: wj: fraction of alternative materials for the industrial operation feedstock

[0146] The physicochemical modelling approach may include determining mixture data by using a first principles calculation to determine, based on the properties per alternative material, the properties of the alternative material mixture. The data-driven approach may include determining the mixture data by providing the properties per alternative material to a data-driven model parametrized based on historical data including mixture data, target mixture data and alternative material data, such as properties per alternative material.

[0147] Additionally or alternatively, hybrid approaches or multi-criterial approaches may be used to determine mixture data. In addition to the properties per alternative material, further parameters such as the available quantity per alternative material may be included in any of the approaches for generating mixture data as lined out herein.

[0148] The generated mixture data for blending or preparing the feedstock may be provided. An example of a data structure for mixture data is illustrated in Fig. 3c. The mixture data may specify the alternative material identifier and the quantity of alternative material to be included in the mixture. The mixture data may be provided for monitoring and / or controlling an industrial operation feed. The mixture data may be provided to an operator e.g. via a display for monitoring and / or controlling the feed. The mixture data may be provided to a monitoring and / or controlling interface of the feed. The mixture data may include monitoring and / or controlling instructions that specify the feed operation to blend or prepare the input mixture prior to or on feeding the alternative materials to the industrial operation facility. The feedstock mixture may be blended for feeding to an industrial operation facility. The industrial operation may include storing the blend for later use. For example, on operating a tank farm, a tank or storage may be filled with blends according to the mixture data. Also, on operating the industrial operation facility, alternative materials may be blended on feeding to the industrial operation facility according to the mixture data.

[0149] For monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of input mixtures the alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials may include one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material. To track the environmental property of the input mixture environmental property data associated with the mixture may be generated by aggregating one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material based on the generated mixture data. The aggregation may relate to one or more alternative material types. The aggregation may relate to all alternative material types included in the input mixture. The aggregation may relate to all alternative material types included in the input mixture in relation to fossil and / or diluent materials contained in the input mixture.

[0150] The environmental property per alternative material may relate to the mass and energy value of the alternative material.

[0151] As an example, the alternative material data may include:

[0152] Input material 1 : bio-naphtha

[0153] Input material 1 mass: x1 Kt

[0154] Input material 1 LHV: x1 MJ / kg

[0155] Input material 2: pyrolysis oil

[0156] Input material 2 quantity: x2 Kt Input material 2 LHV: x2 MJ / kg

[0157] If the aggregation is provided per alternative material, the quantity values of materials 1 and 2 may be used in relation to the alternative material types bio-based and recycled respectively. The environmental property data of the mixture may hence specify the quantity values of materials 1 and 2.

[0158] If the aggregation is provided over all alternative material types, the one or more environmental properties related to the alternative material type recycled and bio-based may be converted to one or more balancing unit(s). In the example above, the environmental property associated with the input materials 1 and 2 may relate to the equivalent amount of fossil-base naphtha. The conversion of the environmental property to balancing units may be based on the conversion factor relating conventional material(s) to alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties. In the example above, the conversion factor may relate conventional naphtha to the bio-naphtha and pyrolysis oil. The conversion factor may relate to the use of conventional material(s) to the use of alternative material(s) associated with one or more environmental properties e.g., via mass or energy property. The conversion factor may hence consider the difference between the industrial operation based on conventional material(s) and based on non-conventional or alternative material(s) or a mix of conventional and alternative materials. The conversion factor may relate to differences in chemical and / or physical properties of conventional and alternative material(s).

[0159] Recycled, renewable, or bio-based input materials may have the same or similar chemical and / or physical properties as their fossil counterparts. They may be totally interchangeable and the material quantities of e.g., naphtha or natural gas, may be substituted with the quantities of alternative materials. For instance, naphtha is commonly cited with a lower heating value (LHV) of about 44.3 MJ / kg and bio-naphtha is commonly cited with a similar LHV, i.e. with up 2, 5, 10% error. In such scenario the energy based balancing unit may be about 1, meaning one unit naphtha corresponds to one unit bio-naphtha. The equivalent amount of materials such as bio-naphtha may in this case be aggregated in one-to-one correspondence, such as summing the quantities.

[0160] However, some recycled, renewable, or bio-based input materials may have different carbon content, energetic value, or other chemical properties different to the fossil feedstocks to be replaced. This may lead to higher or lower requirements for recycled, renewable, or bio-based input materials compared to the quantities of fossil feedstocks. In such situations, equivalent quantities of recycled, renewable, or bio-based input materials may not adhere to a one-to-one correspondence. For instance, a conversion factor based on the lower heating value (LHV) of fossil and bio-feedstocks as an approximation of the chemical and / or physical properties may be used. Bio-methane for example is commonly cited with an LHV of 50 MJ / kg. In such scenario the balancing unit may be about 0.88, meaning one unit naphtha corresponds to 0.88 unit bio-methane. Hence the equivalent amount of alternative material(s) to the industrial process may be accounted for according to the conversion factor of 0.88 in this scenario. The equivalent amount of materials associated with the environmental property may be aggregated taking the conversion factor into account.

[0161] Different approaches exist to determine the conversion factor from conventional material unit to balancing unit or equivalent assignable to the feedstock. Conversion may depend on mass such as mass of material, mass equivalent of a molecular unit such as methane or a molecular weight, an element, such as a number or a mole of one or more element(s) or molecular unit(s) or an energy property such as heating value like lower or higher heating value.

[0162] By way of balancing units, the environmental property associated with the input mixture may be determined for all alternative material types.

[0163] Based on the mixture data and the one or more environmental properties of the alternative material data, environmental property data associated with the input mixture may be generated.

[0164] The environmental property data associated with the input mixture may be provided for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture. The digital asset may include a decentral identifier associated with the input material and data related to the environmental property data. The digital asset may include a digital identifier and data related to the environmental property data. The digital identifier may be a decentral identifier. Data related to the environmental property data may include the environmental property data. Data related to the environmental property data may include a digital representation pointing to the environmental property data. The digital representation may be a pointer or locator, such as a URI or URL, pointing to the storage location storing the environmental property data.

[0165] Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a flow chart of a method for blending a feedstock mixture including alternative materials and / or diluents.

[0166] The target mixture data associated with one or more property / ies of the feedstock and alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and properties specified per alternative material may be provided as e.g. described in the context of Figs. 2 and 3. Based on the target mixture data and the alternative material data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation facility may be generated as e.g. described in the context of Figs. 2 and 3. For generation of the mixture data diluent data may be provided. The term diluent encompasses materials other than alternative materials that are in pure form suitable for the industrial operation, in particular fossil input materials like high-boiling hydrocarbons, refinery residues, heavy fuel oil, light fuel oil, diesel, (heavy) crude oil, residual fuel oil, heavy vacuum residue, vacuum gas oil, atmospheric residue, hydrotreated vacuum gas oil, light cycle oil, slurry oil, decanted oil, tar, bitumen, asphalt, and the like, upgraded bio-oils like bio-naphtha, and upgraded pyrolysis oils, e.g., obtained by pyrolysis from (mixed) plastic waste and / or end-of-life tires. The diluent data may be associated with the properties of one or more diluent(s). For example, properties of one or more diluents may be provided per diluent identifier. The diluent identifier may relate to fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils.

[0167] The mixture data may be generated based on alternative material data as described herein, e.g. in the context of Figs. 2 and 3. If the generation of mixture data based on the alternative material data leads to results that do not fulfill the target mixture data for the feedstock, the generation of mixture data may be extended to include diluent data, e.g. fossil input material data. Diluent data may be associated with any material that fulfills the properties of the target mixture data or per target mixture data. The diluent data may be associated with multiple materials and properties specified per material. Based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and / or diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials, and / or diluent to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation facility may be generated as e.g. described in the context of Figs. 2 and 3.

[0168] The mixture data for blending the feedstock may be provided as described e.g. in the context of Figs. 2 and 3.

[0169] Fig. 5 illustrates schematically an operating system including a mixture generator configured to access target mixture data and alternative material data for generating mixture data.

[0170] The operating system may be communicatively connected to operation equipment configured for blending, e.g., through a communication interface. The operation equipment may include for example a mixing station, a tank farm, a mixing unit and / or a feed control of the industrial operation process. This list is non exhaustive and other equipment configured for blending may be used. The communication may be a wired or wire-less communication configured to transfer mixture data to the operation equipment for blending.

[0171] The mixture generator may be configured to blend the mixture including one or more alternative input material(s) and / or to monitor and / or control the blending of the feedstock mixture including one or more alternative input material(s). The mixture generator may be configured to access target mixture data associated with the industrial operation. The target mixture data may be retrieved from a data base storing target mixture data. The data base storing target mixture data may be associated with the industrial operation. The mixture generator may be configured to access alternative material data associated with one or more alternative material(s). The alternative material data may be retrieved from a data base storing alternative material data. The data base storing alternative material data may be associated with the alternative material available for blending.

[0172] The mixture generator may be configured to generate mixture data for the industrial operation, e.g., as described in the context of Figs. 2-4. The mixture generator may be configured to generate mixture data associated with one or more alternative materials to be mixed for the industrial operation. The mixture generator may be configured to generate mixture data including one or more alternative material identifier(s). The generated mixture data may be provided or transferred to the operation equipment associated with the industrial operation. The mixture data may include the industrial operation identifier, the alternative material identifier(s), and the respective quantity of alternative material, e.g., per alternative material identifier.

[0173] The mixture data generator may be configured to generate, based on the generated mixture data and the one or more environmental properties of the alternative material data, environmental property data associated with the input mixture. The environmental property data may be generated as described in the context of Fig. 2. The environmental property data may include the environmental property / ies and a mixture data identifier included in the mixture data. The environmental property data may include the environmental property / ies and an input material identifier associated with the input material produced or to be produced based on the mixture data. The environmental property data may be provided for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture.

[0174] Based on the mixture data received by the operation equipment the feedstock mixture may be blended, e.g., as described in the context of Figs. 2-4.

[0175] Fig. 6 illustrates schematically a user interface for generating mixture data.

[0176] The user interface includes a selection of industrial operations, including in particular one or more of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, to specify one or more industrial operations the mixture data is to be generated for. One or more industrial operation(s) may be selected. Based on the selection target mixture data may be provided or accessed per selected industrial operation. Such providing or accessing may include sending a request to one or more nodes associated with industrial operation performers and retrieving alternative material data available per producer. Such data retrieval may be implemented via a peer-to-peer communication in a decentral network e.g. as will be described in more detail in the context of Figs. 8-11.

[0177] One or more alternative materials may be selected for the industrial operation. Based on the selection, the alternative material data may be provided or accessed per alternative material. Such providing or accessing may include sending a request to one or more nodes associated with alternative material producers and retrieving alternative material data available per performer. Such data retrieval may be implemented via a peer-to-peer communication in a decentral network e.g. as will be described in more detail in the context of Figs. 8-11.

[0178] One or more type(s), origin(s) and / or property / ies of the alternative material may be selected. Based on the selected one or more type(s), origin(s) and / or property / ies the alternative material data may be filtered. The filtered alternative material data may be provided for generating mixture data.

[0179] The mixture data may be generated and provided based on the target mixture data associated with the specification of the feedstock and the alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and properties specified per alternative material e.g. as described in the context of Figs. 2 and 4. Based on the result, the properties of the mixture and contributions to such properties per alternative material may be displayed.

[0180] On confirmation by the user the mixture data may be provided e.g. to trigger providing of the alternative materials from the alternative material producers, to trigger blending of the alternative materials and / or to trigger feeding of the alternative materials to the industrial operation facility according to the mixture data e.g. as detailed in the context of Figs. 2-4, 8-11. Figs. 7a, b illustrate schematically blending profiles for the industrial operation.

[0181] The blending profile of Fig. 7a illustrates the alternative material components AM 1-5 of the mixture on the x-axis and the quantity of the respective component as fraction in weight-%. The blending profile of Fig. 7b illustrates the alternative material components AM1-AM3, the fossil material component(s) FM1 and the compound-specific diluent components) CD1 of the mixture on the x-axis and the quantity of the respective component as fraction in weight-%. Other profiles may show the property contributions per component for one or more selected properties, such as the environmental property. Yet other profiles may show the alternative material contributions and the fossil material contributions.

[0182] Fig. 8 illustrates schematically a decentral network including a mixture generator service implemented by a node associated with an industrial operation performer. The decentral network may include the industrial operation node(s) implementing the mixture generator and alternative material provider node(s) implementing alternative material data providing services.

[0183] The mixture generator may be configured to access target mixture data and alternative material data or other data packages e.g. as described in the context of Figs. 2-5. The mixture generator may be configured to access target mixture data and alternative material data in a central network e.g. as described in the context of Fig. 5 or an at least partially decentral network as shown in Fig. 8.

[0184] Fig. 5 illustrates the central network architecture by way of example for a node associated with the industrial operation. In the central network setup, the mixture generator may be configured to access a database storing the target mixture data and the alternative material data. The mixture generator may be configured to generate mixture data as described for example in the context of Figs. 2-4. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the mixture data for blending or monitoring and / or controlling the industrial operation feed. The mixture generator may be configured to generate environmental property data as described for example in the context of Fig. 2. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the environmental property data for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture.

[0185] The decentral network environment may include one or more Network node(s) associated with the upstream production of alternative materials, the industrial operation using the alternative materials, the intermediate storage of the alternative materials, and / or the transport of the alternative materials. Fig. 8 illustrates one network node per player type participating via the decentral network. This is only illustrative and more player types or multiple network nodes of one player type may be present in decentral network.

[0186] In the example of Fig. 8, the network node(s) associated with the production of alternative material(s) may be configured to provide alternative material data. The network node(s) associated with the storage or transport of alternative material(s) may be configured to provide alternative material data. The network node(s) associated with the industrial operation may be configured to retrieve alternative material data, to generate mixture data, and to provide such mixture data for preparing the alternative material mixture to be fed to the industrial operation or monitoring and / or controlling the industrial operation feed. The network node(s) associated with the industrial operation may further be configured to generate environmental property data based on the generated mixture data and the retrieved alternative material data and to provide such environmental property data for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture.

[0187] For communication, particularly peer-to-peer communication, the network node(s) may be associated with data providing service(s) comprising computer-executable instructions for providing and / or processing data to be transferred the data consuming service of a network node requesting access to the data. For communication, particularly peer-to-peer communication, the network node(s) may be associated with one or more data consuming service(s) comprising computer-executable instructions for accessing and / or processing data provided by a network node associated with the data provider or generating. The data generating node may be coupled to the data owner or the entity owning or producing physical products from or for which data is generated. The data may be generated by a third-party entity on behalf of the entity owning or producing physical products from or for which data is generated. The data generating node for the alternative material data may be associated with the alternative material producer or the alternative material produced. The alternative material producer may in this example be associated with the alternative material producer producing the respective alternative material. The data generating node for the target mixture data may be associated with the industrial operation process using the alternative material. The industrial operation may in this example be associated with the industrial operation performer. The data generating node for the mixture data may be associated with the industrial operation process using the alternative material. The industrial operation process using the alternative material may in this example be associated with the industrial operation performer storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material. Storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material may include storing the alternative material to be blended, storing the blended input mixture, transporting the alternative material to be blended, transporting the blended input mixture, using the alternative material to be blended and / or using the blended input mixture.

[0188] In the decentral setup, the mixture generator may be configured to access the target mixture data and / or the alternative material data via a decentral network protocol. The mixture generator may be configured to access the target mixture data and / or the alternative material data by way of a peer-to-peer communication based on authentication and / or authorization mechanisms. In one example the peer-to-peer communication may be implemented based on the IDSA Reference Architecture model, version 4.0 published 2022 and the IDSA Rulebook, version 2 published 2023. The international data space (IDS) framework is only one example framework for a peer-to-peer communication protocol. Many other examples exist that may or may not use distributed ledger technology and may or may not use smart contract implementations running on the distributed ledger. Distributed ledger technologies include, but are not limited to, technology stacks like Bitcoin (see e.g. Bitcoin documentation of November 11 , 2022 published https: / / en.bitcoin.it / wiki / Protocol_documentation), Ethereum (see e.g. Ethereum documentation of August 15, 2022 published on https: / / ethereum.org / en / developers / docs / ), Solana (see e.g. Solana documentation of November 11 , 2022 published on https: / / spl.solana.com / ), Polygon (see e.g. Polygon documentation of November 11, 2022 published https: / / wiki. polygon. technology / ) or other implementations with varying degree of data transactions performed on the distributed ledger. The description of the example framework is only for illustrative purposes and shall not be considered limiting. The gist of data providing, data consuming, and decentral applications in decentral networks may be implemented on any technology stack forming a decentral network including e.g. peer-to-peer communication based on authentication and / or authorization mechanisms. The decentral network protocol may be configured to establish a peer-to-peer communication between network nodes. For accessing data packages via the decentral network, a network node implementing a data consuming service may provide a request including at least one decentral identifier associated with the data package requested. The at least one decentral identifier may be uniquely associated with the data package requested. The at least one decentral identifier may be connected to at least one digital representation of the data package. The at least one digital representation may include a representation for accessing the data package or parts thereof. The at least one decentral identifier may include a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) or a Digital Identifier (DID). The at least one decentral identifier may include any unique identifier uniquely associated with the target mixture data, the alternative material data, the data owner, the material, the digital asset, the mixture data generation, and / or the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material. Via the at least one decentral identifier and its unique association with the target mixture data, the alternative material data, the data owner, the material, the mixture data generation, and / or the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material access to the data package may be controlled by the network node or data owner. The at least one decentral identifier may further relate to authentication and / or authorization information linked or related to the data package. The authentication and / or authorization information may be provided for authentication and / or authorization of the data providing and / or data consuming service.

[0189] The request by the data consuming service may be authenticated and / or authorized to access the data package associated with the at least one decentral identifier via the data providing service and / or vice versa. Based on successful authorization and / or authentication access to the data package or parts thereof may be granted. For access the at least one decentral identifier may be provided to the data providing service. The data providing service may use the received decentral identifier to retrieve the data package or parts thereof from the data base associated with or accessible by the data providing service. The data base associated with or accessible by the data providing service may include a data base related to the data providing service, such as a backend data base solely accessible by the data providing service or accessible by the data providing service and not the data consuming service. The data base associated with or accessible by the data providing service may be included or connected to the network node the data providing service is associated with, such as a backend data base associated with the network node the data providing service is associated with. The data package or parts thereof may be provided to the data consuming service requesting the data. The data package or parts thereof may be transferred from the data providing service to the data consuming service. Through the decentral network the data package or parts thereof may be transferred between network nodes e.g. of the producer of the alternative material to the industrial operation performer and / or the mixture data generator. This way the data packages required for mixture data generation can be shared without central intermediary directly between the network node(s). This allows for transparency of alternative material data, alternative material availability and more efficient use of alternative materials by industrial operation performers.

[0190] The alternative material data may be provided by one or more network node(s) associated with the production of the alternative material(s), e.g., through peer-to-peer communication via the decentral network. The network node configured to generate the mixture data may be associated with the industrial operation performer storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material. In other words, the mixture generator may be provided by the network node associated with the industrial operation performer storing, transporting and / or using. In the example of Fig. 8 the network node configured to generate the mixture data may be associated with the industrial operation node using the alternative materials.

[0191] The mixture generator may be configured to generate the mixture data, e.g., as lined out in the context of Figs. 2-7. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated mixture data for preparing the alternative material(s) mixture. Providing the mixture data may include providing a request to one or more network node(s) associated with the production of the alternative material(s) and triggering the providing of alternative material to the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material(s). Providing the mixture data may include providing monitoring and / or control instructions to prepare the alternative material(s) mixture. The mixture data may be provided to an operator, e.g., via a display for monitoring and / or controlling the feed to the industrial operation process or an associated storage tank. The mixture data may be provided to a monitoring and / or controlling interface of the feed to the industrial operation processor an associated storage tank. The mixture data may include monitoring and / or controlling instructions that specify the feed operation to prepare the mixture on feeding the alternative materials to the industrial operation process.

[0192] The mixture generator may be configured to generate the environmental property data, e.g., as lined out in the context of Figs. 2-5. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated environmental property data for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture. The digital asset may be stored in a database associated with or under control of the entity producing the input mixture.

[0193] Fig. 9 illustrates schematically a decentral network including a mixture generator service implemented by the node associated with the alternative material producer or provider. The decentral network may include the industrial operation node(s) implementing a target mixture data providing service and a mixture data for blending consuming service. The alternative material provider node(s) may implement the mixture generator, a target mixture data consuming service and / or the mixture data for blending providing for blending service.

[0194] The alternative material data may be provided by a data base associated with the network node(s) associated with alternative material provider or producer. The mixture data generator may be associated with the network node(s) associated with alternative material provider or producer. The alternative material data may be provided to the mixture data generator.

[0195] The target mixture data may be requested by the network node(s) associated with alternative material provider or producer. The target mixture data may be requested from the network node(s) associated with the industrial operation using one or more alternative material(s) or the alternative material mixture(s). The network node(s) associated with alternative material provider(s) or producer(s) may implement a target mixture data consuming service requesting access and / or transfer of target mixture data from data consuming service implemented by network node(s) associated with alternative material provider or producer(s).

[0196] Based on the alternative material data and the target mixture data, the mixture generator may be configured to generate the mixture data for blending, e.g., as lined out in the context of Figs. 2-7. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated mixture data for preparing the alternative material(s) mixture to the data consuming service associated with the industrial operation. Providing the mixture data may include providing a request to one or more network node(s) associated with the production of the alternative material(s) and triggering the providing of alternative material to the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material(s). Providing the mixture data may include providing monitoring and / or control instructions to prepare the alternative material(s) mixture. The mixture data may be provided to an operator, e.g., via a display for monitoring and / or controlling the feed to the industrial operation process or an associated storage tank. The mixture data may be provided to a monitoring and / or controlling interface of the feed to the industrial operation processor an associated storage tank. The mixture data may include monitoring and / or controlling instructions that specify the feed operation to prepare the mixture on feeding the alternative materials to the industrial operation process.

[0197] Based on the mixture data, the mixture data generator may be configured to generate environmental property data associated with the input mixture, for example as described in the context of Fig. 2. The mixture data generator may be configured to provide the environmental property data associated with the input mixture for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture. The environmental property data may be provided to a monitoring and / or controlling interface of the feed to the industrial operation.

[0198] In other words, the target mixture data may be provided by one or more network node(s) associated with the industrial operation and one or more further industrial operation(s) using one or more alternative material(s) or the alternative material mixture(s), e.g. through peer-to-peer communication via the decentral network. The network node associated with the alternative material provider(s) or producer(s) may be configured to generate the mixture data. The mixture generator may hence be associated with the alternative material provider or producer. The mixture generator may be provided by the network node implementing a mixture data generation service. The node or the mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated mixture data for blending via the decentral network. The node or the mixture generator may be configured to provide and / or transfer the generated mixture data for blending to the node associated with the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative materials. The mixture data may be provided, e.g., as described above. The node or the mixture generator may be configured to provide and / or transfer the generated environmental property data for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture to the node associated with the industrial operation storing, transporting and / or using the alternative materials.

[0199] Fig. 10 illustrates schematically a decentral network including industrial operation node(s), alternative material provider node(s), and an additional node implementing the mixture generator service.

[0200] The mixture generator may be provided by the network node implementing a mixture data generation service. The mixture generator may be configured to request alternative material data and / or target mixture data from respective nodes providing such data packages. The mixture generator may be configured to generate mixture data for blending based on the received alternative material data and the target mixture data e.g. as lined out in the context of Figs. 2- 7. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated mixture data for blending via the decentral network. The mixture generator may be configured to provide and / or transfer the generated mixture data for blending to the node associated with the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative materials. Providing the mixture data may include providing a request to one or more network node(s) associated with the production of the alternative material(s) and triggering the providing of alternative material to the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative material(s). Providing the mixture data may include providing monitoring and / or control instructions to prepare the alternative material(s) mixture. The mixture data may be provided to an operator e.g. via a display for monitoring and / or controlling the feed to the industrial operation processor an associated storage tank. The mixture data may be provided to a monitoring and / or controlling interface of the feed to the industrial operation processor an associated storage tank. The mixture data may include monitoring and / or controlling instructions that specify the feed operation to prepare the mixture on feeding the alternative materials to the industrial operation process.

[0201] The mixture generator may be configured to generate environmental property data for linking a digital asset to the prepared input mixture based on the received alternative material data and the generated mixture data e.g. as lined out in the context of Fig. 2. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated environmental property data for linking via the decentral network. The mixture generator may be configured to provide and / or transfer the generated environmental property data for linking to the node associated with the industrial operation storing, transporting and / or using the alternative materials.

[0202] In other words, the alternative material data and the target mixture data may be provided to the network node configured to generate the mixture data and the environmental property data associated with the input material. The network node configured to generate the mixture data may be associated with a service node implementing the mixture generator service. The mixture generator may be provided by the network node implementing a mixture data generation service. The mixture generator may be configured to provide the generated mixture data for blending and / or the environmental property data for linking via the decentral network. The mixture generator may be configured to provide and / or transfer the generated mixture data for blending to the node associated with the industrial operation process storing, transporting and / or using the alternative materials. The mixture generator may be configured to provide and / or transfer the generated environmental property data for linking to the node associated with the industrial operation storing, transporting, and / or using the alternative materials. The mixture data and / or environmental property data may be provided e.g., as described in the context of Figs. 8 and 9.

[0203] Fig. 11 illustrates schematically an example protocol for peer-to-peer communication between different nodes of the decentral network.

[0204] The data consuming service implemented by node 103.1 may comprise computer-executable instructions for accessing and / or processing data, such as alternative material data, target mixture data, and / or mixture data, associated with the data owner. The data providing service implemented by node 103.6 may comprise computer-executable instructions for providing and / or processing data, such as alternative material data, target mixture data, and / or mixture data, associated with the data owner for accessing and / or processing by the data consuming service implementing node 103.1 . Fig. 11 illustrates the communication protocol based on one example transaction between the decentral network node associated with alternative material producer 103.6 and the decentral network node associated with mixture data generator 103.1.

[0205] The alternative materials available through participants of the decentral network may be made discoverable to participants of the decentral network e.g. though a decentral network data base 910. The identifier per alternative material available and the representation relating to the alternative material may be provided by the data base 910. Multiple alternative material producers and / or providers may in this way offer their alternative materials to the market.

[0206] The alternative material users or services generating mixture data may access such alternative material identifiers. Based on the received alternative material identifier a request to access the alternative material data may be triggered by the data consuming service implemented by node 103.1 as signified by arrow 912. The alternative material identifier may be provided to the data providing service implemented by node 103.6 associated with or of the alternative material producer or provider. In addition, authentication and / or authorization information may be provided. The request may be authenticated and / or authorized to access the alternative material data related to the alternative material identifier. Based on successful authorization and / or authentication access to the alternative material data related to the alternative material identifier may be granted.

[0207] For access the alternative material identifier may be provided to the data providing service implemented by node 103.6 as signified by arrow 912. The data providing service implemented by node 103.6 may use the received alternative material identifier to retrieve the alternative material data associated with the alternative material from a dedicated storage 902 as signified by arrows 918 and 920. The alternative material data associated with the alternative material provided to the data providing service implemented by node 103.6 may be provided to the data consuming service implemented by node 103.1 as signified by arrow 916. The alternative material data associated with the alternative material may be stored in the dedicated storage or data base 908 associated with the mixture material generator as signified by arrow 922.

[0208] Through the alternative material identifier or decentral identifier, the alternative material data can be uniquely associated with the alternative material and the mixture. Through the decentral network the alternative material data may be transferred between the producer of the alternative material and the user of the alternative material. This way the alternative material data can be shared with unique association to the alternative material and without central intermediary directly between the players of the decentral network. Similarly, the target mixture data may be provided for access by the data providing service associated with the industrial operation and the mixture data may be provided to the data consuming service associated with the industrial operation. Other data transfers as e.g., described in Figs. 5, 8-11 may follow the principles of the communication protocol described above. Other communication protocols that allow for decentral data exchange may similarly applicable. This allows for controlled transparency of alternative material data to optimize mixtures to the industrial operation.

[0209] The invention relates to the field of sustainable industrialization, in particular the blending, controlling, and / or monitoring of alternative materials as industrial operation feedstock. Production networks undergo dynamic change to reduce environmental impact. Industrial operations are hence exposed to dynamic changes on the input materials fed to such operations. The methods disclosed herein allow for reliable and effective use of alternative input materials. In addition, the decentral network setup allows for more efficient handling and monitoring across industrial operation performers and alternative material producers.

[0210] The present disclosure has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments and examples as well. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the claims. Any steps presented herein can be performed in any order. The methods disclosed herein are not limited to a specific order of these steps. It is also not required that the different steps are performed at a certain place or in a certain computing node of a distributed system, i.e. each of the steps may be performed at different computing nodes using different equipment / data processing.

[0211] As used herein "determining" also includes "initiating or causing to determine", “generating" also includes "initiating and / or causing to generate" and “providing” also includes “initiating or causing to determine, generate, select, send and / or receive”. “Initiating or causing to perform an action” includes any processing signal that triggers a computing node or device to perform the respective action.

[0212] In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” or “including” or similar wording does not exclude other elements or steps and shall not be construed limiting to the elements or steps lined out. The indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation or further elements may be included.

[0213] Providing in the scope of this disclosure may include any interface configured to provide data. This may include an application programming interface, a human-machine interface such as a display and / or a software module interface. Providing may include communication of data or submission of data to the interface, in particular display to a user or use of the data by the receiving entity.

[0214] Any disclosure and embodiments described herein relate to methods, systems, apparatuses, devices, chemicals, materials, services, uses, computer program elements lined out above and vice versa. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any of the embodiments and examples equally apply to all other embodiments and examples and vice versa. All terms and definitions used herein are understood broadly and have their general meaning.

[0215] The following example is for the purpose of illustration of the invention only and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0216] Examples - Reduction or Minimization of the Fraction of Fossil Input Materials and Minimization of Unwanted Properties (taking into account availabilities of the different input materials)

[0217] Input materials, i.e., alternative materials and (fossil) diluents, for use in an industrial operation process are sourced in the market or synthesized by BASF, and alternative material data and diluent data, respectively, are collected by analytical techniques. Target mixture data for the feedstock are set on the basis of literature data and / or operational experience.

[0218] Based on the alternative material data, diluent data, and target mixture data, scores per property, including a penalty for deviating from the respective target mixture property, and an accumulated score for each of the input materials are calculated, e.g., target mixture data for S: < 100 ppm, input material data: 150 ppm => deviation of 50 % => penalized score p, = 0.5; target mixture data for N: > 500 ppm , input material data: 550 ppm => no deviation => penalized score p, = 0 The accumulated score of an input material is calculated as

[0219] Ptot =w>*Pi)I , where N is the number of penalties and Wi are weighting factors (1 by default). The weighting factors are set in case different input material properties are to be taken into account for the industrial operation with different priorities.

[0220] Input material properties not measured for a particular input material do hence not contribute to the accumulated score. The diluent used has per definition an accumulated score = 0, i.e., it meets the criteria for the industrial operation laid down in the target mixture data.

[0221] Mixture data may be generated to reduce the fraction of fossil diluents, e.g., by setting a maximum fraction of the fossil diluent. Similarly, the fractions of non-fossil input materials may be adjusted.

[0222] Alternatively, mixture data may be generated with the goal to minimize the fraction of fossil diluents while obtaining a mixed feedstock meeting the target mixture data.

[0223] In the following examples, mixture data are generated to minimize the fraction of fossil diluent (Tables 1 and 2) while creating a mixture conforming with the specification of partial oxidation. As a further optimization goal, a maximum safety margin from the industrial operation specification was to be obtained, which may be achieved, for instance, by maximizing the sum of distances of the blend properties from the specification. Also, availabilities of the different input materials were used as an additional boundary condition (Tables 3 and 4).

[0224] Table 1. Input material data for different input materials, target mixture data for partial oxidation, and accumulated scores

[0225] Table 2. Calculation of the optimized fractions of input materials and their contributions to the properties of the mixed feedstock without specification violation

[0226] The example illustrates that input materials which as such do not meet the requirements for partial oxidation (in this case: used cooking oil) can nonetheless be utilized by mixing with other input materials. At the same time, the amount of the fossil diluent can be minimized.

[0227] Table 3. Input material data for different input materials, target mixture data for partial oxidation, accumulated scores, and maximum mass fractions available

[0228] Table 4. Calculation of the optimized fractions of input materials and their contributions to the properties of the mixed feedstock without specification violation Preferred Embodiments

[0229] 1 . A method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for generating mixture data associated with instructions to prepare a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the method comprising:

[0230] - providing target mixture data associated with one or more properties of the industrial operation feedstock, wherein the one or more properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties, composition properties, and environmental properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, metal content, recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon;

[0231] - providing alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and one or more properties specified per alternative material, wherein the multiple alternative materials comprise at least two materials selected from the group consisting of bio-oils and pyrolysis oils;

[0232] - providing diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded biooils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils;

[0233] - generating, based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation;

[0234] - providing the mixture data for preparing the feedstock.

[0235] 2. A method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the method comprising:

[0236] - providing target mixture data associated with one or more technical properties of the feedstock wherein the one or more technical properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties and composition properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, and metal content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon; - providing alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials, wherein the alternative material data includes one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material; optionally providing diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils;

[0237] - generating, based on the technical properties of the target mixture data, on the alternative material data, and optionally on the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation;

[0238] - generating, based on the mixture data and the one or more environmental properties of the alternative material data, environmental property data associated with the feedstock;

[0239] - providing the mixture data for preparing the feedstock and providing the environmental property data associated with the feedstock for linking a digital asset to the prepared feedstock. A method for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking from at least two input materials selected from the group consisting of alternative materials and diluents, the method comprising

[0240] - retrieving or accessing target mixture data related to one or more properties of the feedstock;

[0241] - providing at least two input materials selected from the group consisting of alternative materials and diluents;

[0242] - retrieving or accessing alternative material data and diluent data related to one or more properties of said at least two input materials;

[0243] - comparing said alternative material data and diluent data related to one or more properties of said at least two input materials with the target mixture data related to the respective properties;

[0244] - determining whether or not all of said one or more properties of said at least two input materials conform with the target mixture data related to the respective properties;

[0245] - if at least one of said one or more properties of said at least two input materials does not conform with the target mixture data related to the respective properties, generating mixture data, based on the alternative material data, the diluent data, and the target mixture data, for a feedstock comprising at least two of said input materials;

[0246] - preparing, according to the generated mixture data, the feedstock by mixing at least two of said input materials; wherein all of the properties of said feedstock conform with the target mixture data; and wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the target mixture data is maximized and / or wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, is minimized. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the target mixture data specifies constraints or boundaries for the one property or more properties of the feedstock to be used in an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the target mixture data comprises one or more of the following properties of the feedstock to be used in an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking:

[0247] - ash content not more than 2000 ppm;

[0248] - acid number of not more than 50 mg(KOH) / g(oil);

[0249] - hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio of not more than 2.3;

[0250] - Cl content of not more than 30 ppm;

[0251] - As content of not more than 10 ppb;

[0252] - Pb content of not more than 10 ppb; and / or

[0253] - Hg content of not more than 10 ppb. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the alternative material data relates

[0254] - to a quantity of alternative material, a type of alternative material, and / or properties of the alternative material, wherein the quantity of alternative material relates to the quantity of alternative material accessible for use in the industrial operation, wherein the alternative material type relates to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material, wherein at least one property of the alternative material includes composition property, operation property, and / or environmental property; and / or

[0255] - to one or more technical properties selected from operation and composition properties of the multiple alternative materials, wherein the composition property is associated with at least one or more substance(s) critical for the feedstock, wherein the operation property is associated with one or more feedstock characteristics critical to processing the feedstock by the industrial operation; and / or

[0256] - to one or more environmental properties of the multiple alternative materials, wherein at least one environmental property relates to a type of alternative material, wherein the alternative material type relates to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material, wherein at least one environmental property relates to a measure quantifying the impact of using the alternative material associated with the alternative material type for the industrial operation. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein diluent data is retrieved and / or accessed to generate mixture data, if, based on the alternative material data, no mixture data associated with the feedstock is generated that lies in the constraints or boundaries specified by the target mixture data. e method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein mixture data

[0257] - is generated by determining from the alternative material data a mixture that lies within the constraints provided by the target mixture data, wherein the property or the multiple properties of the alternative materials correspond at least in part to the property or the multiple properties of the feedstock for the industrial operation as specified by the target mixture data; and / or - is generated by determining weighted quantities of alternative material(s) depending on the one property or more properties per alternative material and the target mixture data; and / or

[0258] - includes machine-readable instructions for monitoring and / or controlling the preparation of the feedstock, wherein the feedstock is prepared based on the mixture data. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein generating environmental property data associated with the input mixture includes

[0259] - aggregating one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material; and / or

[0260] - converting one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material to one or more balancing unit(s) based on a conversion factor relating conventional material(s) to alternative material(s), relating the use of conventional material(s) to the use of alternative material(s) and / or relating to a difference in chemical and / or physical properties of conventional material(s) and alternative material(s); and / or

[0261] - converting one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material to one or more balancing unit(s) based on a quantity of conventional material(s), a quantity of alternative material(s) and / or a feedstock equivalent in relation to the industrial process. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the target mixture data is provided by one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the industrial operation, wherein the target mixture data is provided to one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the alternative material provider or producer. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the alternative material data is provided by one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with an alternative material provider or producer, wherein

[0262] - a mixture generation service may be implemented by one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the industrial operation and / or the alternative material producer; and / or

[0263] - the alternative material data is provided to one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the mixture generation or the industrial operation. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein a mixture generation service is implemented by one or more mixture generation node(s) of the decentral network, wherein the target mixture data and / or the alternative material data are provided to the one or more mixture generation node(s) by one or more node(s) associated with the industrial operation and / or an alternative material provider or producer. The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein linking the digital asset to the prepared feedstock includes assigning the environmental property data associated with the feedstock to at least one decentral identifier associated with the feedstock and to data related to the environmental property data. An apparatus for generating mixture data associated with instructions to prepare a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the apparatus comprising:

[0264] - a target mixture data providing interface configured to provide target mixture data associated with one or more properties of the feedstock, wherein the one or more properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties, composition properties, and environmental properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, metal content, recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon;

[0265] - an alternative material data providing interface configured to provide alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and one or more properties specified per alternative material, wherein the multiple alternative materials comprise at least two materials selected from the group consisting of bio-oils and pyrolysis oils;

[0266] - a diluent data providing interface configured to provide diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils;

[0267] - a mixture data generator configured to generate, based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation;

[0268] - a mixture data providing interface configured to provide the mixture data for preparing the feedstock. An apparatus for monitoring and / or controlling environmental properties of a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the apparatus comprising:

[0269] - a target mixture data providing interface configured to provide target mixture data associated with one or more technical properties of the feedstock wherein the one or more technical properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties and composition properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, and metal content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon; - an alternative material data providing interface configured to provide alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials, wherein the alternative material data includes one or more environmental properties specified per alternative material;

[0270] - optionally a diluent data providing interface configured to provide diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils;

[0271] - a mixture data generator configured to generate, based on the technical properties of the target mixture data, on the alternative material data, and optionally on the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation;

[0272] - an environmental property data generator configured to generate, based on the mixture data and the one or more environmental properties of the alternative material data, environmental property data associated with the feedstock;

[0273] - a data providing interface configured to provide the mixture data for preparing the feedstock and providing the environmental property data associated with the feedstock for linking a digital asset to the prepared feedstock. Use of mixture data as generated according to the method of any of embodiments 1 to 13 or by the apparatus of any of embodiments 14 to 15 for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking. A feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including alternative materials prepared according to mixture data as generated according to the method of any of embodiments 1 to 13 or by the apparatus of any of embodiments 14 to 15, optionally wherein the feedstock is associated with a digital asset relating to the environmental property data as generated according to the method of any of embodiments 1 to 13 or by the apparatus of any of embodiments 14 to 15. A feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of combustion, partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including at least one alternative material, wherein at least one property of said at least one alternative material does not conform with the target mixture data for the industrial operation, and wherein all of the properties of said feedstock conform with the target mixture data; and wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the target mixture data is maximized and / or wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, is minimized.

Claims

47Claims1 . A computer-implemented method,- for generating mixture data associated with instructions to prepare a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking, and / or- for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the method comprising the steps:- providing target mixture data associated with one or more properties of the industrial operation feedstock, wherein the one or more properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties, composition properties, and environmental properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, metal content, recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon;- providing alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and one or more properties specified per alternative material, wherein the multiple alternative materials comprise at least two materials selected from the group consisting of bio-oils and pyrolysis oils;- providing diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded biooils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils;- generating, based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation;- providing the mixture data for preparing the feedstock; wherein the target mixture data comprises one or more of the following properties of the feedstock to be used in said industrial operation:- ash content not more than 2000 ppm, as determined via ISO 6245;- acid number of not more than 50 mg(KOH) / g(oil), as determined via ASTM 664;- hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio of not more than 2.3, as determined via ASTM D5291;- Cl content of not more than 30 ppm, as determined via UOP 779;- As content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES;- Pb content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES; and / or- Hg content of not more than 10 ppb. as determined via UOP 938-B.

482. A method for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking from at least two input materials selected from the group consisting of alternative materials and diluents, the method comprising- retrieving or accessing target mixture data related to one or more properties of the feedstock;- providing at least two input materials selected from the group consisting of alternative materials and diluents;- retrieving or accessing alternative material data and diluent data related to one or more properties of said at least two input materials;- comparing said alternative material data and diluent data related to one or more properties of said at least two input materials with the target mixture data related to the respective properties;- determining whether or not all of said one or more properties of said at least two input materials conform with the target mixture data related to the respective properties;- if at least one of said one or more properties of said at least two input materials does not conform with the target mixture data related to the respective properties, generating mixture data, based on the alternative material data, the diluent data, and the target mixture data, for a feedstock comprising at least two of said input materials, wherein generating mixture data is carried out according to the computer-implemented method for generating mixture data according to claim 1;- preparing, according to the generated mixture data, the feedstock by mixing at least two of said input materials; wherein all of the properties of said feedstock conform with the target mixture data; and wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the target mixture data is maximized and / or wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, is minimized, wherein the target mixture data comprises one or more of the following properties of the feedstock to be used in said industrial operation:- ash content not more than 2000 ppm, as determined via ISO 6245;- acid number of not more than 50 mg(KOH) / g(oil), as determined via ASTM 664;- hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio of not more than 2.3, as determined via ASTM D5291;- Cl content of not more than 30 ppm, as determined via UOP 779;- As content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES;- Pb content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES; and / or- Hg content of not more than 10 ppb. as determined via UOP 938-B.

3. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the alternative material data relates- to a quantity of alternative material, a type of alternative material, and / or properties of the alternative material, wherein the quantity of alternative material relates to the quantity of alternative material accessible for use in the industrial operation, wherein the alternative material type relates to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material, wherein at least one property of the alternative material includes composition property, operation property, and / or environmental property; and / or49- to one or more technical properties selected from operation and composition properties of the multiple alternative materials, wherein the composition property is associated with at least one or more substance(s) critical for the feedstock, wherein the operation property is associated with one or more feedstock characteristics critical to processing the feedstock by the industrial operation; and / or- to one or more environmental properties of the multiple alternative materials, wherein at least one environmental property relates to a type of alternative material, wherein the alternative material type relates to recycled, bio-based, and / or renewable material, wherein at least one environmental property relates to a measure quantifying the impact of using the alternative material associated with the alternative material type for the industrial operation.

4. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein diluent data is retrieved and / or accessed to generate mixture data, if, based on the alternative material data, no mixture data associated with the feedstock is generated that lies in the constraints or boundaries specified by the target mixture data.

5. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein mixture data- is generated by determining from the alternative material data a mixture that lies within the constraints provided by the target mixture data, wherein the property or the multiple properties of the alternative materials correspond at least in part to the property or the multiple properties of the feedstock for the industrial operation as specified by the target mixture data; and / or- is generated by determining weighted quantities of alternative material(s) depending on the one property or more properties per alternative material and the target mixture data; and / or- includes machine-readable instructions for monitoring and / or controlling the preparation of the feedstock, wherein the feedstock is prepared based on the mixture data.

6. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the target mixture data is provided by one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with the industrial operation, wherein the target mixture data is provided to one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the alternative material provider or producer.

7. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the alternative material data is provided by one or more node(s) of a decentral network associated with an alternative material provider or producer, wherein- a mixture generation service may be implemented by one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the industrial operation and / or the alternative material producer; and / or- the alternative material data is provided to one or more node(s) of the decentral network associated with the mixture generation or the industrial operation.

8. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein a mixture generation service is implemented by one or more mixture generation node(s) of the decentral network, wherein the target mixture data and / or the alternative50 material data are provided to the one or more mixture generation node(s) by one or more node(s) associated with the industrial operation and / or an alternative material provider or producer.

9. An apparatus- for generating mixture data associated with instructions to prepare a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking,- for monitoring and / or controlling a composition of such feedstock, and / or- for preparing such feedstock, wherein the feedstock includes multiple alternative materials, the apparatus comprising:- a target mixture data providing interface configured to provide target mixture data associated with one or more properties of the feedstock, wherein the one or more properties of the feedstock are selected from the group consisting of operation properties, composition properties, and environmental properties, preferably consisting of density, viscosity, ash content, maximum particle size, acid number, hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio, nitrogen content, oxygen content, sulfur content, halogen content, chlorine content, metal content, recycled content, renewable content, and bio-based content, said metal being selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium, preferably selected from the group consisting of arsenic, lead, mercury, and silicon;- an alternative material data providing interface configured to provide alternative material data associated with multiple alternative materials and one or more properties specified per alternative material, wherein the multiple alternative materials comprise at least two materials selected from the group consisting of bio-oils and pyrolysis oils;- a diluent data providing interface configured to provide diluent data associated with at least one diluent and one or more properties specified per diluent, wherein the at least one diluent is selected from the group consisting of fossil input materials, upgraded bio-oils, and upgraded pyrolysis oils;- a mixture data generator configured to generate, based on the target mixture data, the alternative material data, and the diluent data, mixture data specifying multiple alternative materials and / or diluents to be mixed and provided to the industrial operation;- a mixture data providing interface configured to provide the mixture data for preparing the feedstock, wherein the target mixture data comprises one or more of the following properties of the feedstock to be used in said industrial operation: ash content not more than 2000 ppm, as determined via ISO 6245; acid number of not more than 50 mg(KOH) / g(oil), as determined via ASTM 664; hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio of not more than 2.3, as determined via ASTM D5291 ;Cl content of not more than 30 ppm, as determined via UOP 779;As content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES;Pb content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES; and / orHg content of not more than 10 ppb. as determined via UOP 938-B.

10. Use of mixture data as generated according to the method of any of claims 1 and 3 to 8 or by the apparatus of claim 9 for preparing a feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking.

11. A feedstock for an industrial operation selected from the group consisting of partial oxidation, fluid catalytic cracking, and coking including at least one alternative material, preferably prepared according to mixture data as generated according to the method of any of claims 1 and 3 to 8 or by the apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one property of said at least one alternative material does not conform with the target mixture data for the industrial operation, and wherein all of the properties of said feedstock conform with the target mixture data; wherein the target mixture data comprises one or more of the following properties of the feedstock to be used in said industrial operation:- ash content not more than 2000 ppm, as determined via ISO 6245;- acid number of not more than 50 mg(KOH) / g(oil), as determined via ASTM 664;- hydrogen-to-carbon molar ratio of not more than 2.3, as determined via ASTM D5291;- Cl content of not more than 30 ppm, as determined via UOP 779;- As content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES;- Pb content of not more than 10 ppb, as determined via ICP-OES; and / or- Hg content of not more than 10 ppb. as determined via UOP 938-B, and wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of the at least one input material that does not conform with the target mixture data is maximized and / or wherein, in said feedstock, preferably the fraction of diluents, in particular of fossil input materials, is minimized.

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