Abstract: This disclosure provides a new approach for bio-oil upgrading using methane as reductant instead of hydrogen. Guaiacol, produced by thermal degradation of lignin, represents a model compound for upgrading of fast pyrolysis bio-oils by deoxygenation. To overcome the high cost of H2, methane is used to deoxygenate guaiacol. On Pt/C catalyst, in terms of guaiacol conversion and product distribution, methane is found to exhibit comparable deoxygenation performance as H2. Its lifetime, however, is lower (<3 hrs). In one embodiment, the lifetime of Pt—Bi/C catalyst is extended by addition of bismuth as a promoter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing hydrocarbons, wherein the process comprises the steps of, subjecting a feedstock comprising CTO and TOP to pretreatment comprising at least two evaporative steps to yield (i) an evaporated feedstock comprising 30 ppm or less of sodium, 35 ppm or less of phosphorus and 30 ppm or less of silicon, (ii) a light fraction and (iii) a residue fraction, and subjecting the evaporated feedstock to catalytic hydroprocessing in the presence of hydrogen to yield a hydroprocessing product comprising hydrocarbons boiling in the liquid fuel range. The invention also relates to hydrocarbon components useful as transportation fuel or as a blending component in transportation fuel, obtainable by said process.

Abstract: In a process for producing olefins, a hydrocarbon-containing feed is fed into a cracking furnace where relatively long-chain hydrocarbons of the hydrocarbon-containing feed are cracked at least partly to form shorter-chain olefins, encompassing ethylene and propylene. Cracking gas (1) formed during cracking is conveyed in succession through an upper section (11) and a lower section (12) of a scrubbing column (10) in countercurrent to a liquid scrubbing medium (43, 31), is proposed. A fraction (43) rich in petroleum spirit is used in the lower section (11) of the scrubbing column (10) and a water-rich fraction (31) is used in the upper section (11) of the scrubbing column (10) as scrubbing medium (43, 31). A plant configured for carrying out the process is likewise provided by the present invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for production of alkene products from their alkene precursors, such as 3-hydroxyacid and alcohols, via either (1) high temperature reactive distillation with steam contact at optimal pH, (2) solvent extraction and Mulzer dehydration, (3) solid phase adsorption, desorption into an organic solvent and catalytic reaction and (4) high temperature reactive distillation with steam contact at optimal pH followed by catalytic conversion.

Abstract: A method to generate cyclic hydrocarbons from farnesene to increase both the density and net heat of combustion of the product fuels.

Abstract: A method to generate cyclic hydrocarbons from farnesene to increase both the density and net heat of combustion of the product fuels.

Abstract: A process for producing an environmentally-friendly plasticizer, which is particularly suitable for use in vehicle tires or technical rubber articles. A vulcanized and/or unvulcanized polymer material of a high molecular weight is converted into a low-molecular phase by direct thermal liquefaction. The vulcanized and/or unvulcanized high-molecular-weight polymer material is provided as a polymer powder and/or a granulated polymer and can be obtained from used tires.

Abstract: A method to generate cyclic hydrocarbons from farnesene to increase both the density and net heat of combustion of the product fuels.

Abstract: Various methods are provided for treating and reacting a metathesis feedstock. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a feedstock comprising a natural oil, chemically treating the feedstock with a metal alkoxide under conditions sufficient to diminish catalyst poisons in the feedstock, and, following the treating, combining a metathesis catalyst with the feedstock under conditions sufficient to metathesize the feedstock.

Abstract: A method for producing a hydrocarbon blendstock, the method comprising contacting at least one saturated acyclic alcohol having at least three and up to ten carbon atoms with a metal-loaded zeolite catalyst at a temperature of at least 100° C. and up to 550° C., wherein the metal is a positively-charged metal ion, and the metal-loaded zeolite catalyst is catalytically active for converting the alcohol to the hydrocarbon blendstock, wherein the method directly produces a hydrocarbon blendstock having less than 1 vol % ethylene and at least 35 vol % of hydrocarbon compounds containing at least eight carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method for converting an alcohol to a hydrocarbon, the method comprising contacting said alcohol with a metal-loaded zeolite catalyst at a temperature of at least 100° C. and up to 550° C., wherein said alcohol can be produced by a fermentation process, said metal is a positively-charged metal ion, and said metal-loaded zeolite catalyst is catalytically active for converting said alcohol to said hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A new method of producing fuel from biological oils and fats is provided, which comprises the following steps: (a) proceeding with a catalytic cracking-deoxygenation reaction for the biological oils and fats under heating in the presence of a cracking-deoxygenation catalyst; (b) mixing the product of step (a) with hydrogen gas; and (c) proceeding with a catalytic hydrodeoxygenation reaction for the mixture from step (b) under heating in the presence of a hydrodeoxygenation catalyst. By means of the method of the present invention, clean fuel produced by using biological oils and fats as raw materials is compatible with the fuel composition produced from crude oil refining.

Abstract: A catalyst bed system, and a dehydrogenation process using the same, including a horizontal catalyst bed having a mixture of at least one catalytic material and at least one first inert material, a predetermined volume of at least one second inert material arranged upstream of the catalyst bed, wherein the volume of the reactor above the catalyst bed system is not filled by any solid material (empty space). The volume of the second inert material and the volume of the reactor above the second inert material (empty space) is between 0.04 and 0.73, preferably between 0.06 and 0.3, most preferably between 0.09 and 0.2.

Abstract: Method for the depolymerization of plastics material (1), in particular pre- or post-consumer plastics wastes, by means of heat introduction, wherein the plastics material (1) is molten to form a plastics melt and degassed before being passed to a depolymerization reactor (3), adding a fraction obtained from crude oil as a solvent (6) to the plastics melt, thereby lowering the viscosity of the plastics melt solution supplied to the depolymerization reactor (3) relative to the viscosity of the plastics melt.

Abstract: A process for the production of jet and other heavy fuels from alcohols and mixture of alcohols is disclosed. The process may include contacting in a reaction zone at least one C2 to C11 alcohol with a solid catalyst having activity for the simultaneous dehydration of the alcohols to form olefins, isomerization of the olefins to form internal olefins, and oligomerization of the olefins produced in situ via the dehydration reaction to form an effluent comprising mono-olefinic hydrocarbons. Preferably, the alcohol feed is a mixture of alcohols, such as C2 to C7 alcohols or C4 and C6 alcohols, enabling the production of a mixture of branched hydrocarbons that may be used directly as a jet fuel without blending.

Abstract: A renewable fuel may be obtained from a bio-oil containing C3-C5 oxygenates. In a first step, the bio-oil is subjected to a condensation reaction in which the oxygenates undergo a carbon-carbon bond forming reaction to produce a stream containing C6+ oxygenates. In a second step, the stream is hydrotreated to produce C6+ hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Butadiene is made from a butene rich feed by passing a superheated butene rich feed including superheated steam and oxygen at a temperature of at least about 343° C. (650° F.) over a catalyst bed having a depth of over about 69 cm (27 inches) of granules of ferritic oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst. Inlet conditions being controlled such that the oxidative dehydrogenation reactions initially occur in the lower most layers of catalyst. Process control includes monitoring the temperature throughout the bed and increasing the inlet temperature in response to a drop in the temperature in the active layer, when the active layer of oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst begins to become deactivated so that the reaction zone moves upwardly in the oxidative dehydrogenation bed.

Abstract: An energy conservation process directed to the purification of styrene monomer via distillation after the dehydrogenation reaction of ethylbenzene to produce crude styrene is disclosed. As practiced today, the purification of styrene via distillation requires large amounts of energy (i.e., steam) to provide heat to the various distillation columns. The presently disclosed improved process allows for a reduction in the amount of steam needed for this purpose.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing hydrocarbons. A method for producing hydrocarbons may include a method of removing impurities from a hydrocarbon stream using a strong base resin. The strong base resin absorbs at least a portion of the impurities from the hydrocarbon stream to provide a purified hydrocarbon stream. Further, the method for producing hydrocarbons may include feeding the purified hydrocarbon stream to a reaction zone comprising a catalyst to form a reaction zone effluent stream.

Abstract: A propane dehydrogenation and propylene purification process in which a stream comprising propylene, propane, and methyl acetylene and propadiene (MAPD) is mixed with a hydrogen stream then reacted in at least three distinct reaction zones in a hydrogenation reactor system where MAPD is hydrogenated by a high-selectivity hydrogenation catalyst in a first reaction zone, and a second and a third reaction zones each have a low-selectivity hydrogenation catalyst to remove unreacted hydrogen. The outlet stream leaving the hydrogenation reactor system is MAPD-free and can be fed to a splitter column, which now mainly serves to separate propylene from propane. Various embodiments of reaction zone arrangements in a single or multiple reactors are also provided.