A process for upgrading a solid carbonaceous material includes heating the solid carbonaceous material in the presence of a catalyst under partial pyrolysis conditions and obtaining an upgraded solid carbonaceous product, a gaseous product, and a spent catalyst.

A dual bed pyrolysis system may include a falling bed reactor employing a heat carrier particulate to pyrolyze biomass to create a pyrolysis product and a pyrolysis waste product. The dual bed pyrolysis system may also include a fluidized bed reactor. The fluidized bed reactor may accept the pyrolysis waste product including char and heat carrier particulate from the falling bed reactor. The fluidized bed reactor may combust the char in the presence of the heat carrier particulate. The fluidized bed reactor may combust the char to reheat the heat carrier particulate. The reheated heat carrier particulate may be provided to the falling bed reactor to pyrolyze biomass to create a pyrolysis product and a pyrolysis waste product.

A dual bed pyrolysis system may include a falling bed reactor employing a heat carrier particulate to pyrolyze biomass to create a pyrolysis product and a pyrolysis waste product. The dual bed pyrolysis system may also include a fluidized bed reactor. The fluidized bed reactor may accept the pyrolysis waste product including char and heat carrier particulate from the falling bed reactor. The fluidized bed reactor may combust the char in the presence of the heat carrier particulate. The fluidized bed reactor may combust the char to reheat the heat carrier particulate. The reheated heat carrier particulate may be provided to the falling bed reactor to pyrolyze biomass to create a pyrolysis product and a pyrolysis waste product.

Methods and apparatuses for thermally converting or pyrolyzing biomass are provided. In one embodiment, a method of thermally converting biomass includes introducing the biomass to a reactor feed chamber. The method provides for flowing a low oxygen gas into the reactor feed chamber to purge the reactor feed chamber and biomass of oxygen. The method also includes delivering the purged biomass to a thermal conversion reactor and thermally converting the biomass in the thermal conversion reactor.

Methods and apparatuses for thermally converting or pyrolyzing biomass are provided. In one embodiment, a method of thermally converting biomass includes introducing the biomass to a reactor feed chamber. The method provides for flowing a low oxygen gas into the reactor feed chamber to purge the reactor feed chamber and biomass of oxygen. The method also includes delivering the purged biomass to a thermal conversion reactor and thermally converting the biomass in the thermal conversion reactor.

A biomass pyrolysis process is provided in which biomass feedstock is mixed with a heat carrier. The heat carrier at least partly comprises char. The ratio by weight of biomass to char is in the range 1:1 to 1:20. The process may be carried out by in a screw/auger pyrolysis reactor in which the solid feedstock components are conveyed along the reactor by a first screw. A second screw conveys at least a portion of the solid products of the biomass pyrolysis back to a heat transfer medium input port. Thus, the heat transfer medium includes char from the biomass pyrolysis.

A biomass pyrolysis process is provided in which biomass feedstock is mixed with a heat carrier. The heat carrier at least partly comprises char. The ratio by weight of biomass to char is in the range 1:1 to 1:20. The process may be carried out by in a screw/auger pyrolysis reactor in which the solid feedstock components are conveyed along the reactor by a first screw. A second screw conveys at least a portion of the solid products of the biomass pyrolysis back to a heat transfer medium input port. Thus, the heat transfer medium includes char from the biomass pyrolysis.

A method of processing raw oil sands material that includes bitumen. The method includes, in a predistillation process, heating the raw oil sands material to between approximately 535 C. and at least approximately 600 C. to at least partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide atmospheric gas oil and vacuum gas oil from the bitumen, and to provide coked oil sands material that includes carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. The coked oil sands material is heated to approximately 900 C., to produce a dry barren hot oil sands material and syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases. Heat energy is transferred from at least a portion of the barren hot oil sands material to the raw oil sands material.

A method of processing oil sands material including bitumen. The method includes subjecting the oil sands material to a predistillation process. The predistillation process includes heating the oil sands material to between approximately 350 C. and approximately 400 C., to produce atmospheric gas oil from the bitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material, and heating the intermediate dried oil sands material to between approximately 535 C. and at least approximately 600 C., to produce vacuum gas oil and coked oil sands material comprising carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. The method also includes subjecting the coked oil sands material to gasification, to produce barren hot oil sands material, and syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases.

A method of processing oil sands material including bitumen. The method includes subjecting the oil sands material to a predistillation process. The predistillation process includes heating the oil sands material to between approximately 350 C. and approximately 400 C., to produce atmospheric gas oil from the bitumen, and intermediate dried oil sands material, and heating the intermediate dried oil sands material to between approximately 535 C. and at least approximately 600 C., to produce vacuum gas oil and coked oil sands material comprising carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. The method also includes subjecting the coked oil sands material to gasification, to produce barren hot oil sands material, and syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases.