The process and apparatus enables purification of a recycle hydrogen gas stream from hydroprocessing biorenewable feedstocks. The recycle gas stream is fed to a methanator reactor to hydrogenate carbon monoxide in the gas stream to water and methane. Other acid gases can be removed by scrubbing preferably upstream of the methanator. Removal of carbon monoxide omits the need for a hydrogen purge stream to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation and enables use of the hydrogen for a downstream hydroisomerization reaction.

A process for producing liquid hydrocarbon products from a biomass feedstock is provided. The process comprises: contacting the feedstock with one or more hydropyrolysis catalyst compositions and molecular hydrogen to produce a product stream comprising hydropyrolysis product that is at least partially deoxygenated; hydroconverting said hydropyrolysis product in the presence of one or more hydroconversion catalyst compositions to produce a vapour phase product comprising substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon product, wherein one or both of the hydropyrolysis catalyst composition and the hydroconversion catalyst composition is produced in a process comprising incorporating one or more metals selected from those of groups 6, 9, and 10 of the periodic table, into a shaped support; and incorporating one or more coordinating organic compounds into said shaped support, thus forming a catalyst precursor; and then either (i) treating the catalyst precursor in the presence of hydrogen and sulfiding it or (ii) calcining the catalyst precursor.

Provided is a method for deoxygenating an oxygenated hydrocarbon compound using a hydrogenation catalyst of immersing a metal in a carrier comprising a metal oxide and a hydrodeoxygenation catalyst of immersing a metal in a carrier comprising a metal oxide. It is possible to increase deoxygenation efficiency by combining the hydrogenation catalyst and the hydrodeoxygenation catalyst.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400 C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

The present invention provides methods, reactor systems and catalysts for converting biomass and biomass-derived feedstocks to C.sub.8+ hydrocarbons using heterogenous catalysts. The product stream may be separated and further processed for use in chemical applications, or as a neat fuel or a blending component in jet fuel and diesel fuel, or as heavy oils for lubricant and/or fuel oil applications.

A simplified processes for producing desired chemicals such as butenes from feedstock mixtures containing ethanol. In one set of embodiments this is performed in a single step, wherein a feed containing ethanol in a gas phase is passed over an acidic metal oxide catalyst having a transition metal dispersion of at least 5% on a metal oxide support. The ethanol content of the feedstock mixture may vary from 10 to 100 percent of the feed and in those non-eat applications the ethanol feed may contain water.

A simplified processes for producing desired chemicals such as butenes from feedstock mixtures containing ethanol. In one set of embodiments this is performed in a single step, wherein a feed containing ethanol in a gas phase is passed over an acidic metal oxide catalyst having a transition metal dispersion of at least 5% on a metal oxide support. The ethanol content of the feedstock mixture may vary from 10 to 100 percent of the feed and in those non-eat applications the ethanol feed may contain water.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400 C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

The present invention provides methods, reactor systems and catalysts for converting biomass and biomass-derived feedstocks to C.sub.8+ hydrocarbons using heterogenous catalysts. The product stream may be separated and further processed for use in chemical applications, or as a neat fuel or a blending component in jet fuel and diesel fuel, or as heavy oils for lubricant and/or fuel oil applications.

Techniques for processing biomass are disclosed herein. A method of preparing cellulosic ethanol having 100% biogenic carbon content as determined by ASTM 6866-18, includes treating ground corn cobs with electron beam radiation and saccharifying the irradiated ground corn cob to produce sugars. The method also includes fermenting the sugars with a microorganism. In addition, an unblended cellulosic-biomass derived gasoline with a research octane number of greater than about 87, as determined by ASTM D2699 is disclosed.