Biorenewable Naphtha via Hydrotreating and Hydrocracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing biorenewable naphtha from biomass face challenges such as high capital costs, low reliability of gasifiers, and inefficiencies in the Fischer-Tropsch process, as well as the inability of existing processes to convert high oxygen content biomass into suitable hydrocarbon feedstocks for petrochemical facilities.
Innovation Solution
A method involving hydrotreating and hydrocracking of triglycerides and fatty acids to produce a biorenewable naphtha with a C3-C18 distribution, which is then fractionated to yield a C4-C9 hydrocarbon product suitable as a feedstock for olefins, BTX aromatics, and hydrogen production, using sulfided bimetallic catalysts and bi-functional hydrocracking catalysts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Fischer-Tropsch process is used to convert biomass to naphtha, then biorenewable naphtha can be produced, but capital costs become very high and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the conversion process by using catalytic cracking of triglycerides and fatty acids instead of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis route. This alternative pathway operates under different temperature, pressure, and catalyst conditions, achieving naphtha production with lower capital costs and improved reliability by avoiding the complex gasification and synthesis steps of F-T process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and utilizes the hydrocarbon chains directly present in triglycerides and fatty acids through catalytic cracking, rather than converting biomass to syngas and then to hydrocarbons. This extraction approach eliminates the need for gasification units and F-T synthesis reactors, reducing capital costs and improving process reliability
2Quantity of substance
If gasification is used to produce syngas from biomass, then chemical building blocks can be obtained, but solids handling requirements increase complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent takes out the hydrocarbon value directly from the lipid structures of triglycerides and fatty acids through catalytic cracking, bypassing the gasification step entirely. This eliminates the need for complex solids handling systems required for biomass gasification, while still producing the desired hydrocarbon products
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses triglycerides and fatty acids as intermediary substances that already contain the hydrocarbon chains needed for naphtha production. By using these pre-formed lipids as intermediaries rather than gasifying raw biomass, the process avoids solids handling complexity while maintaining product yield
3Object-affected harmful factors
If aromatic compounds are produced from biomass, then high octane rating is achieved, but ethylene and propylene yields decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control by using specific catalysts and cracking conditions that favor the formation of paraffinic hydrocarbons in the naphtha range with appropriate branching. This selective catalytic approach produces local chemical structures (iso-paraffins and normal paraffins) that provide both good octane characteristics and high olefin yields upon subsequent cracking, rather than producing aromatics throughout
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by producing paraffinic naphtha from biomass instead of aromatic compounds. This inverted pathway uses catalytic cracking to break down lipid chains into paraffinic structures, which then serve as feedstock for steam crackers to produce high yields of ethylene and propylene, reversing the traditional biomass-to-aromatics route
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 method efficiently converts high oxygen content biomass into a biorenewable naphtha that can be used as a chemical feedstock, fuel, or solvent, overcoming the limitations of existing processes by reducing capital costs and improving reliability, and enabling the use of standard refining processes.
Implementation Method 1
using sulfided bimetallic catalysts and bi-functional hydrocracking catalysts
Implementation Method 2
hydrotreating and hydrocracking of triglycerides and fatty acids
Implementation Method 3
bi-functional hydrocracking catalysts
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology generally relates to a method for producing a naphtha product from a biorenewable feedstock. The method includes hydrotreating the biorenewable feedstock to produce a hydrocarbon product stream, hydrocracking hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon product stream to produce a distribution of cracked hydrocarbons, and separating a biorenewable naphtha fraction from the distribution of cracked hydrocarbons.