Ebullated Bed Hydroconversion of Bio-Feeds for Fuel Bases
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing fuel bases from vegetable and animal oils face challenges such as high costs, limited cold properties, and narrow distillation ranges, as well as catalyst contamination issues due to the formation of water and carbon oxides in fixed bed reactors during hydrotreatment and hydroconversion.
Innovation Solution
An ebullated bed process using a catalyst free of Zn, Mg, and Ca, which allows for direct treatment of crude bio-renewable feeds without prior purification, maximizing fuel base yield and minimizing catalyst contamination by employing a granular catalyst with hydrodehydrogenating metals like nickel and molybdenum on an amorphous support, and optimizing conditions for hydrotreatment and hydroconversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed bed reactor is used for hydrotreatment and hydroconversion of vegetable oils and animal fats, then catalyst contamination occurs due to formation of water and carbon oxides, but reactor simplicity and ease of operation are maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the reactor from fixed bed to ebullated bed mode, which fundamentally alters the hydrodynamics and mass transfer conditions. This parameter change allows the catalyst to be continuously circulated and regenerated, preventing contamination accumulation and maintaining catalyst efficiency throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a static fixed bed reactor to a dynamic ebullated bed reactor where the catalyst is in constant motion, suspended by gas or liquid flow. This dynamic operation enables continuous removal of contaminated catalyst and replacement with fresh catalyst, resolving the contamination issue while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Reliability
If prior purification steps are performed to remove metals and impurities from crude oils, then catalyst contamination is reduced, but process cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the purification step from the overall process by using an ebullated bed reactor that can tolerate and handle crude feeds directly. The reactor design itself provides the necessary separation and protection functions, eliminating the need for separate pre-treatment units and reducing process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ebullated bed reactor performs self-purification through continuous catalyst circulation and regeneration. The system automatically handles impurity removal and catalyst maintenance without requiring external purification facilities, allowing direct processing of crude oils while maintaining catalyst performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If vegetable oil methyl esters are used as biofuels, then production cost is reduced and process simplicity is improved, but cold properties and cetane numbers remain limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention produces a composite fuel product by combining the benefits of esterification (cost-effectiveness) with hydroconversion (superior fuel properties). The ebullated bed reactor facilitates simultaneous or sequential esterification and hydroconversion, creating a fuel that meets both economic and performance requirements through composite chemical transformation.
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 produces fuel bases with excellent combustion properties, thermal stability, and storage stability, achieving high cetane numbers and smoke points, while maintaining catalyst efficiency and reducing unwanted co-product formation.
Implementation Method 1
hydrotreatment and/or hydroconversion of said bio-renewable feed in an ebullated bed reactor in the presence of a granular catalyst comprising, on an amorphous support, at least one metal or compound of a metal having a hydrodehydrogenating function
Implementation Method 2
at least one metal or compound of a metal having a hydrodehydrogenating function, to produce a first effluent
Implementation Method 3
ebullated bed process for hydrotreatment (HDT) and/or hydroconversion (HDC) of feeds of bio-renewable origin
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a process for hydrotreatment and/or hydroconversion of a feed of bio-renewable origin containing triglyceride and/or fatty acid structures and wherein the fatty chains contain in the range 8 to 25 carbon atoms, said process comprising the following steps:a) hydrotreatment and/or hydroconversion of said bio-renewable feed in an ebullated bed reactor in the presence of a granular catalyst comprising, on an amorphous support, at least one metal or compound of a metal having a hydrodehydrogenating function, to produce a first effluent;b) sending the effluent produced in step a) to a distillation zone from which a gaseous fraction and at least one distillate cut the end point of which is less than 400° C.