Bimetallic catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) conversion of lignin into useful hydrocarbons are provided. The catalysts are bifunctional bimetallic ruthenium catalysts Ru-M/X.sup.+Y comprising a metal M such as iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) or zinc (Zn), zeolite Y and cation X.sup.+ (e.g. H.sup.+) associated with zeolite Y.

Systems and methods are provided for conversion of oxygenate-containing feeds to a hydrocarbon effluent that includes a naphtha boiling range portion with an increased research octane number and/or increased octane rating. The conditions for converting the oxygenate-containing feed can correspond to conversion conditions for fluidized bed operation and/or moving bed operation, with a low acidity catalyst that also includes phosphorus to improve the hydrogen transfer rate relative to the expected hydrogen transfer rate for a low acidity catalyst. In addition to providing a naphtha fraction with an improved research octane number and/or octane rating, the amount of durene in the naphtha fraction can be reduced or minimized.

Systems and methods are provided for upgrading of methane and/or small alkanes to distillate boiling range hydrocarbons. The upgrading is performed using a reaction system where various types of integration are provided from downstream reaction stages to upstream reaction stages. Such integration can include recycle of various reaction products as well as thermal integration. Having a reaction system that begins with reforming of hydrocarbons and finishes with production of distillate can enable unexpected synergies between downstream reaction stages and upstream reaction stages.

Methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) conversion may be performed with forward methanol processing. Methanol may be fed to a first reactor where it may be catalytically converted under dimethyl ether formation conditions in the presence of a first catalyst to form a product mixture comprising dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, and water. The DME may be separated from the methanol and the water and delivered to a second reactor. In the second reactor, the DME may be catalytically converted under MTG conversion conditions in the presence of a second catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising gasoline hydrocarbons and light hydrocarbon gas. The methanol and the water from the first reactor may be separated further to obtain substantially water-free methanol, which may be delivered to the second reactor. The separation of methanol from the water may be performed using the light hydrocarbon gas to effect stripping of the methanol.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a liquid hydrocarbon fuel comprising a first reaction step and a second reaction step given below: (1) a first reaction step: hydrocracking a raw material oil in the presence of a hydrocracking reaction catalyst at a feeding pressure of hydrogen of from 0.2 to 0.95 MPa, a liquid hourly space velocity of a liquid volume of the raw material oil of from 0.05 to 0.5 hr.sup.−1, and a ratio of a flow rate of the hydrogen to a flow rate of the raw material oil of from 100 to 1,000 NL of the hydrogen per 1 L of the raw material oil; and (2) a second reaction step: hydrogenating the cracked solution in the presence of a hydrogenation reaction catalyst at a feeding pressure of hydrogen of from 0.2 to 0.95 MPa, a liquid hourly space velocity of a liquid volume of the raw material oil of from 0.2 to 5 hr.sup.−1, and a ratio of a flow rate of the hydrogen to a flow rate of the raw material oil of from 100 to 1,000 NL of the hydrogen per 1 L of the raw material oil. According to the present invention, a desired liquid hydrocarbon fuel can be produced by carrying out a combination of the hydrocracking reaction and the hydrogenation reaction of a raw material oil such as fats and oils in a given composition by feeding a low-pressure hydrogen of nearly a normal pressure.

According to one or more embodiments, cationic polymers may be produced which include one or more monomers containing cations. Such cationic polymers may be utilized as structure directing agents to for mesoporous zeolites. The mesoporous zeolites may include micropores as well as mesopores, and may have a surface area of greater than 350 m.sup.2/g and a pore volume of greater than 0.3 cm.sup.3/g. Also described are core/shell zeolites, where at least the shell portion includes a mesoporous zeolite material.

Methods are disclosed for producing renewable base oil and a diesel oil from low-value biological oils. Low-value biological oils containing free fatty acids and fatty acid esters can be processed into a renewable base oil and a renewable diesel oil by first separating at least part of the saturated free fatty acids from the feedstock and then processing separately this saturated free acid feed in a ketonisation reaction followed by hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation reactions to yield a renewable base oil stream. The remaining free fatty acid depleted feed may be processed in a separate hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation step to yield a renewable diesel stream.

A number of different branched hydrocarbon compounds (formula I) having a star-like configuration (S) are prepared from renewable oils containing fatty acids or derivatives containing fatty acids. The branched hydrocarbon compounds may be isolated individually or in mixtures, and may be used as part of base oils, such as renewable base oils (RBOs). A process for preparing the branched hydrocarbon compounds of formula I involve conditions that favour a trimerisation reaction followed by hydrotreating conditions. The compounds of formula I may be made by catalytically treating renewable material in a process, and the compounds have desirable qualities relating to lubrication, cold flow as well as having a low Noack volatility.

Systems operable to produce liquid transportation fuels by converting a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising both isopentane and n-pentane. The system comprises a first separator operable to separate a hydrocarbon feed stream into a first fraction that predominantly comprises isopentane and a second fraction that predominantly comprises n-pentane and some C6 paraffins. An isomerization reactor isomerizes the second fraction to convert at least a portion of the n-pentane to isopentane. The resulting isomerization effluent is combined with the hydrocarbon feed stream, allowing the isopentane produced in the isomerization reactor to be separated into the first fraction in the first separator. An activation reactor catalytically activates the first fraction to produce an activation effluent comprising olefins and aromatics. Certain embodiments additionally comprise either an oligomerization reactor or and alkylation reactor operable to further upgrade the activation effluent, thereby enhancing yields.

Processes for producing liquid transportation fuels by converting a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising both isopentane and n-pentane. The hydrocarbon feed stream is separated into a first fraction that predominantly comprises isopentane and a second fraction that predominantly comprises n-pentane and some C6 paraffins. The first fraction is catalytically activated to an activation effluent comprising olefins and aromatics, while the second fraction is isomerized to convert at least a portion of the n-pentane to isopentane, then combined with the hydrocarbon feed stream to allow the newly-produced isopentane to be separated into the first fraction. At least a portion of the activation effluent is alkylated to enhanced yields of products that are suitable for use as a blend component of liquid transportation fuels.