Integrated hydropyrolysis and hydroconversion (IH²) for the direct production of gasoline and diesel fuels or blending components from biomass, part 1: Proof of principle testing

Abstract

Cellulosic biomass can be directly converted to hydrocarbon transportation fuels through the use of hydropyrolysis or integrated hydropyrolysis plus hydroconversion (IH2). Hydropyrolysis performed in a fast fluidized bed under 14–35 bar of hydrogen pressure with an effective deoxygenation catalyst directly produces a fungible hydrocarbon product with less than 1 total acid number which can either be directly fed to a refinery or polished in an integrated hydroconversion reactor to produce gasoline and diesel with less than 1% oxygen. Experimental data from a 0.45 kg/h semi‐continuous IH2 pilot plant is presented. Economics and life cycle analysis data will be presented later in this series, and will show that by employing IH2 technology, biomass can be converted to gasoline and diesel fuels at delivered costs of less and in some cases significantly less than $1.80/gallon with greater than 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Larger (2.08 kg/h) long‐term continuous pilot‐scale testing of the IH2 process will commence in the near future. As a biomass‐to‐fuels conversion technology, IH2 has the potential to substantially reduce US dependence on foreign oil, thereby reducing the price of transportation fuels and significantly lowering worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. © American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2011

Bifunctional Ni‐ZSM‐5 Catalysts for the Pyrolysis and Hydropyrolysis of Biomass

“…The economic considerations for hydropyrolysis are approximately as favorable as those of other bio‐fuel technologies, despite the high pressure and hydrogen required . Marker et al . have demonstrated a carbon‐ and hydrogen‐neutral hydropyrolysis system in which all the required hydrogen is derived from the reforming of light olefins produced in the process.…”

“…The pyrolysis of biomass under a hydrogen atmosphere at elevated pressure, often termed hydropyrolysis, is an effective method to produce aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, especially in the presence of ZSM‐5 . The removal of oxygen by dehydration, the exothermic nature of the process, and the fact that biomass is converted directly into a drop‐in hydrocarbon product all make hydropyrolysis an attractive process . The economic considerations for hydropyrolysis are approximately as favorable as those of other bio‐fuel technologies, despite the high pressure and hydrogen required .…”

Integrated hydropyrolysis and hydroconversion (IH2®) for the direct production of gasoline and diesel fuels or blending components from biomass, Part 2: continuous testing

“…In IH 2V R , hydropyrolysis and hydroconversion are fully integrated and both process steps are carried out at moderate hydrogen pressures of 20-35 bar [18]. In hydropyrolysis, biomass is thermocatalytically converted to low oxygen content bio-oil vapors in a bubbling bed of catalyst maintained at temperatures of 350-450 C. Hydrogen is the fluidizing gas in the hydropyrolsis step.…”

“…In the previous IH 2V R article, proof of principle results were reported which had been gathered using small scale semi-continuous equipment [18]. This article reports continuous testing work completed in a 50 kg/day pilot plant to verify the long term operability and catalyst stability of the IH 2V R process.…”

A Short Historical Review of Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass

“…Recently a new process, IH 2 , designed at GTI (Gas Technology Institute), Illinois, USA, reported a modification of this process in which the hydropyrolysis was carried out under pressures in the range 7-34 bar [55]. Under the elevated pressure the average molecular weight of the hydrocarbon product increased such that a substantial portion of it was comprised of light hydrocarbon liquids.…”