Abstract: A process includes a.) supplying a biomass feedstock, a fluidizing gas having hydrogen, and a catalyst recirculation stream having deoxygenating catalyst to a mixing zone of a fluidized bed reactor; b.) allowing the biomass feedstock, the fluidizing gas and the deoxygenating catalyst to move upwards through the fluidized bed reactor from the mixing zone to a bulk reactor zone; c.) allowing the biomass feedstock to contact the deoxygenating catalyst in the presence of the fluidizing gas in the bulk reactor zone of the fluidized bed reactor to produce a hydropyrolysis reactor output including at least one non-condensable gas, a partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product and char; and d.) withdrawing at least a portion of the deoxygenating catalyst from the bulk reactor zone to form the catalyst recirculation stream that is supplied to the mixing zone in step a).

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the separation of a diol from a product stream. The process includes the steps of: i) separating the product stream comprising three or more C2 to C6 diols, C3 to C6 sugar alcohols, and C4 to C6 polyhydric alcohols with at least 3 hydroxyl groups in the molecule, and a catalyst, to produce a first stream comprising the three or more C2 to C6 diols; ii) separating the first stream comprising the three or more C2 to C6 diols into a) a second stream comprising a first diol and unsaturated hydrocarbons and/or one or more compounds with a carbonyl group and b) a third stream comprising two or more diols; iii) hydrogenating the second stream comprising a first diol and unsaturated hydrocarbons and/or one or more compounds with a carbonyl group to provide a purified diol stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of subjecting a biomass feedstock to hydropyrolysis, the method at least comprising the steps of: a) supplying a biomass feedstock and a fluidizing gas comprising hydrogen to a bulk reactor zone of a fluidized bed reactor containing a deoxygenating catalyst; b) subjecting the biomass feedstock in the bulk reactor zone of the fluidized bed reactor to a hydropyrolysis reaction by contacting the biomass feedstock with the deoxygenating catalyst in the presence of the fluidizing gas, thereby obtaining a hydropyrolysis reactor output comprising at least one non-condensable gas, a partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product and char; wherein the bulk reactor zone is cooled by means of a cooling fluid flowing through a plurality of tubes running through the bulk reactor zone, the plurality of tubes having inlets into and outlets from the bulk reactor zone; and wherein the cooling fluid flowing in the tubes at the point (‘A’) where the biomass feedstock enters the bulk r

Abstract: A process for the production of a high purity first diol from a product stream comprising two or more C2 to C7 diols, said process comprising the steps of: (i) providing the product stream to a first distillation column; (ii) providing an extractant selected from the group of C3 to C6 sugar alcohols and mixtures thereof to the first distillation column; (iii) operating the first distillation column to obtain a first bottoms stream comprising at least a first diol and the extractant; (iv) providing the first bottoms stream to a second distillation column operating to obtain a second top stream comprising the first diol and diols with atmospheric boiling points at least 10° C. higher than the first diol, and (v) providing the second top stream to a third distillation column to obtain a third top stream comprising the first diol; wherein the product stream comprises 0.1 to 10 wt % of diols with atmospheric boiling points at least 10° C.

Abstract: The invention provides a start-up method for a process for the preparation of glycols from a starting material comprising one or more saccharides in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst system comprising one or more retro-aldol catalysts comprising tungsten and one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation in a reactor, said method comprising introducing the one or more retro-aldol catalysts to the reactor whilst also in the presence of one or more agents suitable to suppress tungsten precipitation.

Abstract: A process for preparing glycols from a lignocellulosic solid biomass involves contacting the biomass with an organic solvent comprising a low boiling point alcohol and a pre-treatment acid at a temperature in a range from 80 to 220° C. and a pressure in a range from 1 to 50 bara. The resulting mixture, having less than wt. % water, is separated into a pre-treated solid residue comprising cellulose and a liquid stream comprising dissolved lignin. The pre-treated solid residue is subjected to a hydrogenolysis reaction. generating a glycols stream, a lights stream, comprising a first portion of organic solvent, and a heavies stream. At least part of the liquid stream is separated to produce a second portion of organic solvent and a lignin stream. At least part of the first and second portions of organic solvent is recycled to the contacting step.

Abstract: A process for the preparing glycols from a lignocellulosic solid biomass involves contacting the biomass with an organic solvent comprising a low boiling point alcohol and a pre-treatment acid at a temperature in a range from 80 to 220° C. and a pressure in a range from 1 to 50 bara. The resulting mixture, having >20 wt. % water, is separated into a pre-treated solid residue comprising cellulose and a liquid stream comprising dissolved lignin and hemicellulose. The pre-treated solid residue is subjected to a hydrogenolysis reaction, generating a glycols stream, a lights stream, comprising a first portion of organic solvent, and a heavies stream. At least of part of the liquid stream is separated to produce a second portion of organic solvent and a solid residue of lignin and hemicellulose. At least part of the first and second portion of organic solvent is recycled to the contacting step.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the separation of a first C3 to C7 diol from a first mixture of C3 to C7 diols. The first mixture is provided to a first distillation column. An extractant is fed to the first distillation column above the first mixture. A stream comprising the first diol and the extractant is removed as a bottoms stream from the first distillation column and subjected to distillation in a second distillation column. A high purity first diol stream is removed from the top section of the second distillation column, while a used extractant stream is removed from the bottom section. The extractant is a C3 to C6 sugar alcohol or mixture thereof. The first diol is a close-boiler to and/or forms an azeotrope with one or more of the other C3 to C7 diols present in the first mixture.

Abstract: The invention provides a start-up method for a process for the preparation of glycols from a starting material comprising one or more saccharides in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst system comprising one or more retro-aldol catalysts comprising tungsten and one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation in a reactor, said method comprising introducing the one or more retro-aldol catalysts to the reactor whilst also in the presence of one or more agents suitable to suppress tungsten precipitation

Abstract: The invention provides a shut down method for a process for the preparation of glycols from a starting material comprising one or more saccharides in the presence 5 of hydrogen and a catalyst system comprising one or more retro-aldol catalysts comprising tungsten and one or more catalytic species suitable for hydrogenation in a reactor, said method comprising removing the one or more retro-aldol catalysts from the reactor whilst also in the presence of one or more agents suitable to suppress tungsten precipitation.

Abstract: A method for separating monoethylene glycol (MEG) from one or more oxygenates. The method includes providing a stream comprising MEG and one or more oxygenates to a distillation column, providing a water feed stream to a bottom of the distillation column, and removing a recovery stream comprising MEG from the distillation column. The distillation column is operated at higher temperatures than the thermal stability of MEG and the one or more oxygenates.

Abstract: A method for separating monoethylene glycol (MEG) from one or more oxygenates. The method includes providing a stream comprising MEG and one or more oxygenates to a distillation column, providing a water feed stream to a bottom of the distillation column, and removing a recovery stream comprising MEG from the distillation column. The distillation column is operated at higher temperatures than the thermal stability of MEG and the one or more oxygenates.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the separation of a first diol, selected from the group consisting of C3 to C7 diols from a first mixture comprising two or more C3 to C7 diols, said process comprising the steps of: (i) providing said first mixture comprising two or more C3 to C7 diols as a feed to a first distillation column; (ii) providing a feed comprising an extractant to the first distillation column above the first mixture; (iii) operating the first distillation column at a temperature in the range of from 50 to 250° C. and a pressure in the range of from 0.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosed subject matter provide methods for producing ethylene glycol from a carbohydrate feed may include contacting, in a first reactor under hydrogenation conditions, the carbohydrate feed with a bi-functional catalyst system. The bi-functional catalyst system may include a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst, and a soluble retro-Aldol catalyst. The carbohydrate feed may include a concentration of carbohydrate, in the total solution entering the first reactor, of 5-40 wt % in a solvent. An intermediate product stream may be obtained from the first reactor including ethylene glycol. The hydrogenation conditions may include a temperature in the range of from 180-250° C.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharide, wherein the process comprises the steps of: i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor and reacting said starting material and hydrogen therein in the presence of a solvent and a first catalyst system comprising a retro-aldol catalyst composition and a hydrogenation catalyst composition; ii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor, said first reactor product stream comprising ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol and in the range of from 2 to 40 wt % of sugar alcohols; iii) contacting said first reactor product stream in a second reactor in the presence of hydrogen with a second catalyst system comprising at least a hydrogenation catalyst composition; and iv) converting a portion of the sugar alcohols in the second reactor into ethylene glycol and/or 1,2-propylene glycol to provide a second reactor

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharide, wherein the process comprises the steps of: i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor and reacting said starting material and hydrogen therein in the presence of a solvent and a first catalyst system comprising a retro-aldol catalyst composition and a hydrogenation catalyst composition; ii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor, said first reactor product stream comprising ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol and in the range of from 2 to 40 wt % of sugar alcohols; iii) contacting said first reactor product stream in a second reactor in the presence of hydrogen with a second catalyst system comprising at least a hydrogenation catalyst composition; and iv) converting a portion of the sugar alcohols in the second reactor into ethylene glycol and/or 1,2-propylene glycol to provide a second reactor

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock in a reactor system, said process comprising: i) providing a first feed stream comprising said saccharide-containing feedstock in a first solvent at a N temperature of no more than 160° C.; ii) providing a second feed stream comprising a tungsten-based retro-aldol catalytic species and an alkali metal containing species in a second solvent at a temperature in the range of from 150 to 250° C.; iii) combining the first feed stream and the second feed stream, before they are provided to the reactor system, to form a combined feed stream; iv) providing the combined feed stream to the reactor system and operating the reactor at a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C.; and v) also contacting the combined feed stream with a hydrogenation catalytic species in the presence of hydrogen, wherein the molar ratio of alkali metal:tungsten in the combined feed stream is in the range of from 0.55 to 6.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of a high purity first diol, selected from the group consisting of C2 to C7 diols from a product stream comprising two or more C2 to C7 diols, said process comprising the steps of: (i) subjecting the product stream to distillation in a first distillation column to provide a bottoms stream comprising high boiling by-products and a top stream comprising a mixture comprising the two or more C2 to C7 diols; (ii) providing said mixture comprising the two or more C2 to C7 diols as a feed to a second distillation column; (iii) providing a feed comprising an extractant to the second distillation column above the mixture comprising the two or more C2 to C7 diols; (iv) operating the second distillation column at a temperature in the range of from 50 to 250° C. and a pressure in the range of from 0.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock in a reactor system, said process comprising: i) providing a first feed stream comprising said saccharide-containing feedstock in a first solvent at a N temperature of no more than 160° C.; ii) providing a second feed stream comprising a tungsten-based retro-aldol catalytic species and an alkali metal containing species in a second solvent at a temperature in the range of from 150 to 250° C.; iii) combining the first feed stream and the second feed stream, before they are provided to the reactor system, to form a combined feed stream; iv) providing the combined feed stream to the reactor system and operating the reactor at a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C.; and v) also contacting the combined feed stream with a hydrogenation catalytic species in the presence of hydrogen, wherein the molar ratio of alkali metal:tungsten in the combined feed stream is in the range of from 0.55 to 6.

Abstract: A process for the production of high purity mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) from a product stream of a saccharide hydrogenolysis process. The process having the steps of: (i) removing solvent from the product stream to provide a solvent-lean product stream; (ii) subjecting the solvent-lean product stream to distillation to provide a bottoms stream comprising high boiling by-products and a top stream comprising a mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO); (iii) providing said mixture having MEG and 1,2-BDO as a feed to a distillation column; (iv) providing a feed comprising an extractant of C3 to C6 alcohols and mixtures thereof to the distillation column above the mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-BDO; (v) removing a stream comprising MEG and the extractant as a bottoms stream from the distillation column; and (vi) subjecting the stream comprising MEG and the extractant to distillation to provide a top stream comprising high purity MEG.