Biorenewable Feedstock Pretreatment for Catalyst Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing diesel fuel from biorenewable feedstocks, such as plant oils and greases, face challenges in removing contaminants like alkali metals, which can poison catalysts and affect the efficiency and stability of the hydroprocessing steps, leading to suboptimal hydrocarbon production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a pretreatment step using acidic ion exchange resins or acid washes to remove contaminants, followed by hydrogenation, decarboxylation, and optionally hydroisomerization at controlled temperatures and pressures, specifically between 200°C to 345°C and 1034 kPa to 2000 kPa, to produce a hydrocarbon fraction with improved stability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If biorenewable feedstocks are directly processed without pretreatment, then the processing steps are simpler, but catalyst deactivation occurs due to contaminants like alkali metals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a pretreatment step before the main hydroprocessing reaction. This pretreatment removes contaminants such as alkali metals from biorenewable feedstocks using ion exchange resins or acid washes, preventing catalyst poisoning in subsequent steps and ensuring stable catalyst performance throughout the process
2Ease of operation
If conventional hydroprocessing conditions are used, then the process is simpler to operate, but hydrogen consumption increases and catalyst deactivation accelerates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing hydroprocessing conditions with temperatures between 200-345°C and pressures of 150-290 psi, which are lower than conventional conditions. These modified parameters reduce hydrogen consumption while maintaining effective deoxygenation and hydrocarbon production, and prevent catalyst deactivation when combined with pretreatment
3Productivity
If higher pressures are used in hydroprocessing, then reaction efficiency improves, but equipment costs and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by operating at reduced pressures of 150-290 psi compared to conventional high-pressure hydroprocessing. This lower pressure regime maintains effective reaction efficiency for deoxygenation while significantly reducing equipment cost requirements and operational complexity, especially when combined with the pretreatment step that prevents catalyst deactivation
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
The process effectively deoxygenates biorenewable feedstocks to produce a hydrocarbon fraction with high cetane number, reducing catalyst deactivation and hydrogen consumption, while allowing for lower equipment costs and operational pressures, achieving stable catalyst performance over extended periods.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the feedstock with either an acidic ion exchange resin or an acid solution in a pretreatment zone
Implementation Method 2
contacting the feedstock with either an acidic ion exchange resin or an acid solution
Implementation Method 3
contacting the feedstock with a catalyst at reaction conditions comprising a temperature of about 200° C. to about 345° C., a hydrogen partial pressure of about 1034 kPa (150 psi) to less than 2000 kPa (290 psi)
Implementation Method 4
hydrogenation, decarboxylation and/or hydrodeoxygenation
Implementation Method 5
hydrogenation, decarboxylation and/or hydrodeoxygenation
Implementation Method 6
hydrogenation, decarboxylation and/or hydrodeoxygenation and optionally hydroisomerization
Data Source
AI summary
A process has been developed for producing a hydrocarbon component useful as diesel fuel from biorenewable feedstocks such as plant oils and greases. The process involves hydrogenating and deoxygenating, i.e. decarboxylating and/or hydrodeoxygenating the feedstock to provide a hydrocarbon fraction useful as a diesel fuel. An optional pretreatment step to remove contaminants such as alkali metals from the feedstock can also be carried out. If desired, the hydrocarbon fraction can be isomerized to improve cold flow properties.