Biomass Co-Feed in Petroleum Coking Processes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biomass conversion methods for producing liquid transportation fuels are inefficient and economically impractical due to high capital costs, reliance on expensive catalysts, and the need for large biological resources, limiting their scalability and practicality.
Innovation Solution
Biomass is used as a co-feed in heavy petroleum oil coking processes, such as delayed coking and fluidized bed coking, to improve operation efficiency and reduce fossil fuel demand, with the addition of alkali metal salts in fluidized bed processes enhancing gasification and coke handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gasification-liquefaction sequence is used to convert biomass to liquid fuels, then liquid transportation fuels can be produced, but capital costs are high and the process requires large process units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges biomass conversion with existing petroleum refining coking processes. Instead of building separate gasification-liquefaction units, the invention integrates biomass into the coking process to produce liquid fuels, thereby utilizing existing infrastructure and reducing capital costs while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coking process is made multi-functional by accepting both conventional petroleum feeds and biomass as inputs. This universal approach allows the same equipment to produce liquid fuels from different feedstocks, eliminating the need for dedicated biomass conversion facilities and reducing overall capital requirements.
2Ease of manufacture
If gasification-liquefaction sequence is used to convert biomass to liquid fuels, then liquid transportation fuels can be produced, but expensive catalysts are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive noble metal catalysts with cheaper, non-catalytic thermal cracking processes. The coking process uses thermal energy and free radical mechanisms instead of expensive catalysts, significantly reducing material costs while maintaining effective fuel production through alternative chemical pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes catalytic conversion with thermal cracking mechanisms. Instead of using catalysts to facilitate the chemical reactions, the process relies on thermal energy input and free radical chemistry, replacing the catalytic system with a thermal field and eliminating the need for expensive catalyst materials.
3Quantity of substance
If gasification-liquefaction sequence is used to convert biomass to liquid fuels, then liquid transportation fuels can be produced, but large biological resources are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the conversion process by using high-temperature thermal cracking (400-600°C) instead of low-temperature biological conversion. This parameter change enables the direct conversion of biomass to liquid hydrocarbons through thermal chemistry, dramatically increasing fuel production efficiency and reducing the biomass quantity required compared to biological methods.
4Productivity
If biomass is co-fed in coking process, then coke drying time is reduced and unit capacity increases, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary substance (alkali metal compound) that facilitates the interaction between biomass and the coking process. This intermediary promotes efficient coke drying and prevents fouling when biomass is co-fed, enabling increased unit capacity without proportionally increasing process complexity by mediating the chemical interactions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces coke drying time, decreases fouling, increases unit capacity, and improves the utilization of biological materials, making the production of liquid transportation fuels more efficient and economically viable by leveraging existing petroleum refinery infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
biomass may be effectively converted into liquid transportation fuels and other products by the well-established petroleum refinery coking processes of delayed coking and fluidized bed coking
Implementation Method 2
the addition of an alkali metal salt improves the operation of the gasifier
Data Source
AI summary
Biomass is used as a co-feed for a heavy petroleum oil coking process to improve the operation of the coking process and to utilize biomaterial for the production of transportation fuels. The coking process may be a delayed coking process or a fluidized bed coking process and in each case, the presence of the biomass will decrease the coke drying time so reducing coke handling problems in the unit besides forming a superior coke product. In the case of a fluidized bed coking process using a gasifier for the coke, the addition of an alkali metal salt improves the operation of the gasifier.