Renewable Marine Fuel Composition With Partial Hydrodeoxygenation

Solution Overview

Problem

The marine industry faces challenges in transitioning to renewable fuels due to stringent fuel specifications that increase operational and capital costs without providing significant benefits, particularly regarding oxygen content and corrosivity, which affect fuel conversion efficiency and engine operation.

Innovation Solution

A novel marine fuel composition with relaxed specifications, allowing for reduced hydrotreatment severity, maintaining fuel quality while minimizing hydrogen consumption and equipment size, by controlling oxygen content and acidity through partial hydrotreatment and thermochemical decomposition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If strict fuel specifications are applied to ensure high quality fuel, then fuel reliability and engine performance are improved, but operational costs and capital costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel qualityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the fuel specification parameters, specifically allowing higher oxygen content (1-10 wt% instead of <0.5 wt%) and higher acidity (TAN > 5 mg KOH/g instead of TAN ≤ 2.5 mg KOH/g). This changes the technical parameters to enable cost-effective production while maintaining adequate fuel quality for marine engines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by implementing partial hydrotreatment rather than complete hydrotreatment. This partial processing removes some oxygen and acid components to achieve adequate fuel quality without the full cost and complexity of complete upgrading, thus resolving the contradiction between fuel quality and production cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If complete hydrotreatment is applied to remove oxygen and acids, then fuel quality and stability are improved, but hydrogen consumption and equipment size increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel stabilityVSAvoidhydrogen consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by implementing partial hydrotreatment rather than complete hydrotreatment. This partial processing removes some oxygen and acid components to achieve adequate fuel quality without the full cost and complexity of complete upgrading, thus resolving the contradiction between fuel quality and production cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the fuel specification parameters, specifically allowing higher oxygen content (1-10 wt% instead of <0.5 wt%) and higher acidity (TAN > 5 mg KOH/g instead of TAN ≤ 2.5 mg KOH/g). This changes the technical parameters to enable cost-effective production while maintaining adequate fuel quality for marine engines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional fuel upgrading is applied to meet commercial standards, then fuel versatility and adaptability are improved, but financial capital and operational cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel compatibilityVSAvoidoperational cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the fuel specification parameters, specifically allowing higher oxygen content (1-10 wt% instead of <0.5 wt%) and higher acidity (TAN > 5 mg KOH/g instead of TAN ≤ 2.5 mg KOH/g). This changes the technical parameters to enable cost-effective production while maintaining adequate fuel quality for marine engines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by implementing partial hydrotreatment rather than complete hydrotreatment. This partial processing removes some oxygen and acid components to achieve adequate fuel quality without the full cost and complexity of complete upgrading, thus resolving the contradiction between fuel quality and production cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 novel fuel composition achieves cost-effective production with reduced environmental impact, maintaining engine performance and flexibility in fuel provision, while adhering to essential operational standards.

Implementation Method 1

One example of the conversion of solid biomass to liquid has been described in US 2012/0204481 A1, where catalytic pyrolysis is described with focus on producing a thermally stable product

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalytic pyrolysis: Pyrolysis

Implementation Method 2

catalytic pyrolysis is described with focus on producing a thermally stable product

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 3

Another examples is WO 2020/228991 in which solid biomass is converted to liquid by hydrothermal liquefaction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrothermal liquefaction:

Implementation Method 4

this is obtained by partial upgrade by hydrotreatment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrotreatment: Hydrogenation

Data Source

PatentUS20260109907A1Renewable marine fuel and method of production

Publication Date: 2026.04.23 HALDOR TOPSOE AS

AI summary

A composition including, on water free basis, at least 80 wt % molecules including from 8 to 35 C-atoms, the composition including, on water free basis, 9.5-12 wt % H, 3-45 wt % 0 and less than 5 wt ppm halogens, the use of such a composition as a marine fuel and a process for producing such a composition by partial hydrodeoxygenation.