Abstract:
A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed in a continuous or semi-continuous manner prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.
Abstract:
A bottom fraction of a product of a hydrocatalytic reaction is gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions. In one embodiment, one or more volatile organic compounds is also vaporized using heat generated in the gasification process. In one embodiment, an overhead fraction of the hydrocatalytic reaction is further processed to generate higher molecular weight compounds. In another embodiment, a product of the further processing is separated into a bottom fraction and an overhead fraction, where the bottom fraction is also gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions.
Abstract:
Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by lignin release therefrom, which can produce a highly viscous phenolics liquid phase comprising lignin polymer. Systems for processing a phenolics liquid phase comprising lignin polymer may comprise: a hydrothermal digestion unit; a viscosity measurement device within the hydrothermal digestion unit or in flow communication with the hydrothermal digestion unit; a temperature control device within the hydrothermal digestion unit or in flow communication with the hydrothermal digestion unit; and a processing device communicatively coupled to the viscosity measurement device and the temperature control device, the processing device being configured to actuate the temperature control device if the viscosity of a fluid phase comprising lignin exceeds a threshold value in the biomass conversion system.
Abstract:
A process for the production of furfural from a biphasic composition including furfural, an organic solvent and soluble organic debris. The said process includes subjecting the biphasic composition to a liquid-liquid separation step to provide an organic phase and an aqueous phase. The organic phase includes the organic solvent, a first portion of the furfural and a first portion of soluble organic debris. The aqueous phase includes a remainder portion of the furfural and a remainder portion of soluble organic debris. The organic phase is subjected to a distillation step to provide a furfural stream and an organic solvent stream including the organic solvent and the first portion of the soluble organic debris. The organic solvent stream is conveyed to an adsorption unit to adsorb a second portion of the soluble organic debris, forming an organic debris-depleted recycle stream.
Abstract:
Systems and method for production of furfural comprising combining a xylose-containing solution with an extraction solution comprising water-insoluble boronic acid to provide a first combined solution comprising an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase, said non-aqueous phase comprising xylose-diboronate ester (BA2X); combining at least a portion of the non-aqueous phase with an ionic conversion solution having a pH of less than or equal to 4 and comprising one or more salts to form a second combined solution, wherein the ionic conversion solution has a calculated molar ionic strength of at least 1, heating the second combined solution to convert at least a portion of the xylose-diboronate ester into furfural; separating the second combined solution into a second aqueous phase comprising from a second non-aqueous phase and recovering furfural from the second non-aqueous phase.
Abstract:
Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by lignin release therefrom, which can produce a highly viscous phenolics liquid phase comprising lignin polymer. Systems for processing a phenolics liquid phase comprising lignin polymer may comprise: a hydrothermal digestion unit; a viscosity measurement device within the hydrothermal digestion unit or in flow communication with the hydrothermal digestion unit; a temperature control device within the hydrothermal digestion unit or in flow communication with the hydrothermal digestion unit; and a processing device communicatively coupled to the viscosity measurement device and the temperature control device, the processing device being configured to actuate the temperature control device if the viscosity of a fluid phase comprising lignin exceeds a threshold value in the biomass conversion system.
Abstract:
A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass in a manner that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.
Abstract:
A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass in a manner that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.
Abstract:
Separation of a product of digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be challenging due to the various components contained therein. Methods and systems for processing cellulosic biomass, particularly a reaction product of a hydrothermal reaction containing lignin-derived products, such as phenolics, comprise providing the reaction product of a further processing (such as condensation reaction) to a non-aqueous stream to at least part precipitate the lignin and removing the precipitated lignin.
Abstract:
Separation of a product of digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be challenging due to the various components contained therein. Methods and systems for processing cellulosic biomass, particularly a reaction product of a hydrothermal reaction containing lignin-derived products, such as phenolics, comprise providing the reaction product to a separation zone comprising a liquid-liquid extraction unit. The liquid-liquid extraction unit can provide an aqueous portion and a non-aqueous portion, where these portions can be separated into various fractions individually. For example, desirable compounds in the aqueous portion and non-aqueous portion can be recovered from the portions individually and optionally combined to be further processed into a fuels product. Heavier components in the aqueous portion and non-aqueous portion can be recovered from the portions individually and used in the process, such as phenolics that can be used as a digestion solvent.