Abstract: A process for producing olefins from a coal feed includes providing a coal tar stream and fractionating the coal tar stream to provide a hydrocarbon stream that includes hydrocarbons having an initial boiling point of about 250° C. or greater. The hydrocarbon stream is hydrotreated to reduce a concentration of one or more of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen in the hydrocarbon stream, and the hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream is cracked in a fluidized catalytic cracking zone to produce an olefin stream.

Abstract: A process for producing hydrogen-rich coal tar includes introducing a coal feed into a pyrolysis zone, and contacting the coal feed with a hydrogen donor stream and a multifunctional catalyst in the pyrolysis zone. The multifunctional catalyst includes a hydrogenation function for increasing a hydrogen content of said coal tar stream. The process further includes pyrolyzing the coal feed with the hydrogen donor stream and the multifunctional catalyst to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream comprising hydrocarbon vapor.

Abstract: A process for pyrolyzing coal using a recycled hydrogen donor includes introducing a coal feed to a pyrolysis zone and heating the coal feed to a temperature of about 300° C. in the absence of hydrogen. A hydrogen donor solvent is introduced to the pyrolysis zone after the coal feed is heated to about 300° C., and the temperature of the coal feed and the hydrogen donor solvent is increased to about 475° C., while increasing a pressure in the pyrolysis zone to at or above a vapor pressure of the hydrogen donor solvent. At least an aromatic hydrocarbon rich fraction is separated from the coal tar stream and hydrogenated. The hydrogenated aromatic hydrocarbon rich fraction is recycled to the pyrolysis zone as the hydrogen donor solvent.

Abstract: Methods of treating coal tar using reactive distillation are described. The methods include introducing a coal tar stream into a reactive distillation zone which has a reaction zone and a separation zone. The reaction zone contains a hydrotreating catalyst and an absorbent. The coal tar stream is contacted with a hydrogen stream in the reaction zone to remove contaminants from the coal tar stream, and the treated coal tar stream is separated into at least two fractions.

Abstract: A multifunction hydrotreater includes a particulate removal zone having a particulate trap to remove particulate contaminants from a coal tar stream and a demetallizing zone including a demetallizing catalyst to remove organically bound metals from the departiculated stream. The demetallizing zone is positioned after the particulate removal zone. The hydrotreater also includes a hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation zone positioned after the demetallization zone, which includes at least one hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation catalyst to provide a hydrotreated coal tar stream.

Abstract: A process for producing alkylated aromatic compounds includes pyrolyzing a coal feed to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream. The coal tar stream is hydrotreated and the resulting hydrotreated coal tar stream is cracked. A portion of the cracked coal tar stream is separated to obtain a fraction having an initial boiling point in the range of about 60° C. to about 180° C., and an aromatics-rich hydrocarbon stream is extracted by contacting the fraction with one or more solvents. The aromatics-rich hydrocarbon stream is contacted with an alkylating agent to produce an alkylated aromatic stream, or the aromatics-rich hydrocarbon stream is reacted with an aliphatic compound or methanol in the presence of a catalyst to produce a methylated aromatic stream. The alkylated aromatic stream, the methylated aromatic stream, or both are separated into at least a benzene stream, a toluene stream, and a xylenes stream.

Abstract: A process for converting polycyclic aromatic compounds to monocyclic aromatic compounds includes pyrolyzing a coal feed to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream. The coal tar stream is cracked, and the cracked coal tar stream is fractionated to produce an aromatic fraction comprising the polycyclic aromatic compounds. The process further includes hydrocracking the aromatic fraction to partially hydrogenate at least a first portion of the aromatic fraction, and to open at least one ring of a second portion of the aromatic fraction to form the monocyclic aromatic compounds from the polycyclic compounds, and recycling the first portion of the aromatic fraction.

Abstract: A process for transalkylating a coal tar stream is described. A coal tar stream is provided, and is fractionated to provide at least one hydrocarbon stream having polycyclic aromatics. The hydrocarbon stream is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating zone, and then hydrocracked in a hydrocracking zone. A light aromatics stream is added to the hydrocracking zone. The light aromatics stream comprises one or more light aromatics having a ratio of methyl/aromatic available position that is lower than a ratio of methyl/aromatic available position for the hydrotreated stream. The hydrocracked stream is transalkylated in the hydrocracking zone.

Abstract: A process for selectively dealkylating aromatic compounds includes providing a coal tar stream comprising aromatic compounds and hydrotreating the coal tar stream to reduce a concentration of one or more of organic sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen in the coal tar stream, and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the aromatic compounds in the coal tar stream. The process further includes hydrocracking the hydrotreated coal tar stream to further hydrogenate the aromatic compounds and to crack at least one ring of multi-ring aromatic compounds to form single-ring aromatic compounds. The single-ring aromatic compounds present in the hydrocracked stream are then dealkylated to remove alkyl groups containing two or more carbon atoms.

Abstract: A process according to various approaches includes flushing an intermediate transfer line at first flow rate during a first portion of the step-time interval. The process also includes flushing the intermediate transfer line at as second different flow rate during a second portion of the step-time interval so that a greater volume of fluid is flushed from the intermediate transfer line during one of the first portion and the second portion of the step-time interval than during the other of the first portion and the second portion of the step-time interval.

Abstract: The production of linear alkylbenzene from a natural oil is provided. A method comprises the step of deoxygenating the natural oils to form a stream comprising paraffins. The paraffins are dehydrogenated to provide mono-olefins. Then, benzene is alkylated with the mono-olefins under alkylation conditions to provide an alkylation effluent comprising alkylbenzenes and benzene. Thereafter, the alkylbenzenes are isolated to provide the alkylbenzene product.

Abstract: A linear alkylbenzene product and a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate product from a natural oil are provided. The linear alkylbenzene product comprises alkylbenzenes having the formula C6H5CnH2n+1 wherein n is from 12 to 13; wherein the alkylbenzenes have at least 7 mass % modern carbon as measured by ASTM Method 6866; and wherein the alkyl group is a linear alkyl group for at least 80 mass % of the alkylbenzenes having the formula C6H5CnH2n+1 wherein n is from 12 to 13.

Abstract: A linear alkyl benzene product and production of linear alkylbenzene from a natural oil are provided. A method comprises the step of deoxygenating the natural oils to form a stream comprising paraffins. The paraffins are dehydrogenated to provide mono-olefins. Then, benzene is alkylated with the mono-olefins under alkylation conditions to provide an alkylation effluent comprising alkylbenzenes and benzene. Thereafter, the alkylbenzenes are isolated to provide the alkylbenzene product.

Abstract: Methods for regenerating acidic ion-exchange resins and reusing regenerants in such methods are provided. A spent ion-exchange resin is contacted with an alcohol ion-exchange regenerant. The spent ion-exchange resin is thereafter contacted with an acidic ion-exchange regenerant to recharge the acidic ion-exchange resin to produce a regenerated acidic ion-exchange resin. Metal- and water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil is then contacted with the regenerated acidic ion-exchange resin to produce low metal, water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oil. The regenerated acidic ion-exchange resin may be recycled. The spent alcohol and acid ion-exchange regenerants may be recovered and recycled.

Abstract: A process has been developed for producing fuel from renewable feedstocks such as plant and animal oils and greases. The process involves treating a first portion of a renewable feedstock by hydrogenating and deoxygenating in a first reaction zone and a second portion of a renewable feedstock by hydrogenating and deoxygenating in a second reaction zone to provide a diesel boiling point range fuel hydrocarbon product. If desired, the hydrocarbon product can be isomerized to improve cold flow properties. A portion of the hydrocarbon product is recycled to the first reaction zone to increase the hydrogen solubility of the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A process for separating para-xylene from aromatic compounds is presented. The process introduces throughout a first step-time interval a first mixed xylene stream into a first feed input on a first adsorptive separation unit comprising multiple bed lines. The process further introduces throughout the first step-time interval a second mixed xylene stream into a second feed input on the first adsorptive separation unit. During a first portion of the first step-time interval, the process introduces material from a feed stream used during the first step-time interval into a bed line not used to deliver a stream into, or withdraw a stream from, the first adsorptive separation unit during the first step time interval. During a second portion of the first step-time interval, the process introduces material from a purification zone into the feed stream used during the first step-time interval.

Abstract: Methods of making highly renewable aviation fuel are described. In one embodiment, the method includes reacting a renewable feedstock in a reaction zone to form a mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins. The mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins is separated into at least a heavy SPK fraction, and a light SPK fraction. A portion of the light SPK fraction is reformed in a reforming zone under reforming conditions to form a mixture of renewable aromatics. A portion of the mixture of renewable aromatics is mixed into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, an aviation fuel made from a renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof to form the highly renewable aviation fuel component.

Abstract: Low water-containing biomass-derived pyrolysis oils and processes for producing them are provided. The process (200) includes condensing (204) pyrolysis gases including condensable pyrolysis gases and non-condensable gases to separate the condensable pyrolysis gases from the non-condensable gases, the non-condensable gases having a water content, drying (206) the non-condensable pyrolysis gases to reduce the water content of the-non-condensable gases to form reduced-water non-condensable pyrolysis gases, and providing (208) the reduced-water non-condensable pyrolysis gases to a pyrolysis reactor for forming the biomass-derived pyrolysis oil.

Abstract: Char-handling processes for controlling overall heat balance, ash accumulation, and afterburn in a reheater are provided. Carbonaceous biomass feedstock is pyrolyzed using a heat transfer medium forming pyrolysis products and a spent heat transfer medium. The spent heat transfer medium is separated into segregated char and char-depleted spent heat transfer medium. The char-depleted spent heat transfer medium is introduced into a dense bed of heat transfer medium fluidized by a stream of oxygen-containing regeneration gas. All or a portion of the segregated char is combusted in the dense bed using the stream of oxygen-containing regeneration gas. A portion of the segregated char may be exported out of the pyrolysis system to control the overall heat balance and ash accumulation.

Abstract: A method for producing a linear paraffin includes providing a natural oil in a feed stream, deoxygenating the natural oil to form a stream comprising paraffins, purifying the stream comprising paraffins to form a purified stream comprising paraffins, and separating a first fraction of paraffin product from the purified stream comprising paraffins. A method for producing a linear olefin includes providing a natural oil in a feed stream, deoxygenating the natural oil to form a stream comprising paraffins, dehydrogenating the stream comprising paraffins to form a stream comprising olefins, purifying the stream comprising olefins to form a purified stream comprising olefins, and separating a first fraction of olefin product from the purified stream comprising olefins.