Solvent Extraction for Hydrothermal Liquefaction Biocrude Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) processes face challenges in separating biocrude oil from aqueous and solid phases due to similar specific gravities, affinity of solids for the phases, and viscous nature of the biocrude oil phase, leading to inefficient and unreliable separation methods.
Innovation Solution
A solvent-based extraction system comprising a heat exchanger, mixing vessels, separator assemblies, and solvent recovery apparatuses is employed to dissolve biocrude oil in solvent, facilitating phase separation and recovery, with additional mixing and separation steps to enhance efficiency and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ambient condition phase separation is used, then the process is simple, but separation efficiency is poor due to similar specific gravities of biocrude oil phase and aqueous phase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a co-solvent to change the density parameter of the biocrude oil phase. By adding a co-solvent with appropriate density, the overall density of the biocrude phase is modified to create a sufficient density difference with the aqueous phase, enabling effective gravitational separation that was not achievable under ambient conditions alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The co-solvent acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the biocrude oil phase and the aqueous phase. It modifies the physical properties of the biocrude phase, particularly its density, to facilitate separation. The co-solvent bridges the gap between the two immiscible phases, enabling the separation process to overcome the similarity in specific gravities.
2Ease of operation
If conventional separation methods are used, then the process is straightforward, but solids clog the separation equipment due to affinity for biocrude oil phase
Solution Approach 1:
The co-solvent serves as an intermediary that modifies the interaction between solids and the biocrude oil phase. By changing the solvent composition, the co-solvent reduces the affinity of solids for the biocrude phase, preventing solids from adhering to separation equipment and reducing clogging issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The addition of co-solvent changes the chemical and physical parameters of the biocrude phase, including its surface properties and affinity for solids. This parameter change reduces the adhesion between solids and the biocrude phase, thereby improving equipment reliability by preventing clogging.
3Device complexity
If direct separation of HTL emulsion is attempted, then the process is simple, but separation is inhibited due to viscous nature of biocrude oil phase
Solution Approach 1:
The co-solvent changes the viscosity parameter of the biocrude oil phase. By adding a co-solvent with appropriate properties, the overall viscosity of the biocrude phase is reduced, improving its flow characteristics and enabling faster separation kinetics without requiring complex processing equipment.
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 system achieves faster, more efficient, and reliable separation of biocrude oil by leveraging solvent density differences, reducing clogging issues, and enabling scalable HTL operations.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger disposed downstream of the biocrude oil emulsion source, wherein the heat exchanger can be configured to cool a biocrude oil emulsion stream received from the biocrude oil emulsion source
Implementation Method 2
The first mixing vessel can be configured to mix the emulsion with a solvent to dissolve the biocrude oil phase in the emulsion and form a biocrude-solvent solution
Implementation Method 3
The first separator assembly can be configured to separate the biocrude-solvent solution from the aqueous phase and the solids
Implementation Method 4
The solvent recovery apparatus can be configured to separate biocrude oil and solvent from the biocrude-solvent solution
Implementation Method 5
The solvent recovery apparatus can be configured to separate biocrude oil and solvent from the biocrude-solvent solution
Implementation Method 6
The second mixing vessel can be configured to mix solvent received from the solvent recovery apparatus with aqueous phase and solids received from the first separator assembly to dissolve biocrude oil remaining in the aqueous phase and the solids
Implementation Method 7
The second separator assembly can be configured to separate solvent and biocrude oil from the aqueous phase and solids received from the second mixing vessel
Implementation Method 8
The water product stripper apparatus can be configured to recover solvent from aqueous phase and solids received from the second separator assembly
Implementation Method 9
The second heat exchanger can be configured to heat aqueous phase and solids entering the water product stripper apparatus
Implementation Method 10
The second heat exchanger can be configured to cool aqueous phase and solids exiting the water product stripper apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include: in a heat exchanger, cooling a biocrude oil emulsion stream received from a biocrude oil emulsion source, wherein the emulsion can include a biocrude oil phase, an aqueous phase, and solids; in a first mixing vessel, mixing the emulsion with a solvent to dissolve the biocrude oil phase and form a biocrude-solvent solution; in a first separator assembly, separating the biocrude-solvent solution from the aqueous phase and the solids; in a solvent recovery apparatus, recovering solvent from the biocrude-solvent solution; in a second mixing vessel, mixing the solvent with the aqueous phase and the solids received from the first separator assembly to dissolve biocrude oil remaining in the aqueous phase and the solids; and supplying the solvent and biocrude oil to the first mixing vessel as the solvent. In some examples, such a method can more effectively separate biocrude oil from the emulsion than conventional techniques.