A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass in a manner that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.

A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass in a manner that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.

The present invention relates to an integrated method for processing algal biomass comprising a marine algal strain or a freshwater (non-marine) algal strain or a plurality of marine algal strains or a plurality of freshwater (non-marine) algal strains or any combination thereof or other carbonaceous feedstocks like biosolids or any combination of algae/algae mixtures and carbonaceous feedstocks to produce biofuel. The method includes subjecting the algae/algal mixture to hydrothermal liquefaction/co-liquefaction using sub-critical water to produce a biocrude. The biocrude is pretreated using a renewable biocatalyst to remove impurities which include Nitrogen (N), Sulfur (S), Oxygen (O) and salts and the pretreated biocrude is mixed with heteroatoms a petrocrude to form a biocrude-petrocrude blend. The biocrude-petrocrude blend is distilled and the distillate fractions are treated using the renewable biocatalyst to remove impurities and finally hydrotreated to produce fractions biofuels. The recovered biocatalyst/biochar which is rich in nutrients is used for agricultural applications to improve soil fertility.

The invention relates to a continuous process for converting carbonaceous material contained in one or more feedstocks into a liquid hydrocarbon product, said feedstocks including the carbonaceous material being in a feed mixture including one or more fluids, said fluids including water and further liquid organic compounds at least partly produced by the process in a concentration of at least 1% by weight, where the process comprises converting at least part of the carbonaceous material by pressurizing the feed mixture to a pressure in the range 50-400 bar, heating the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 250-500 C., and maintaining said pressurized and heated feed mixture in the desired pressure and temperature ranges in a reaction zone for a predefined time; cooling the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 25-200 C. and expanding the feed mixture to a pressure in the range of 1-70 bar, thereby causing the carbonaceous material to be converted to a liquid hydrocarbon product; separating a fraction comprising liquid hydrocarbon product, and leaving a residual fraction; feeding said residual fraction into a bioreactor for the production of biomass such as algae and/or bacteria such as cyano bacteria.

A process for the high temperature conversion of a cellulosic material into a bio-oil, wherein, under hydrogen atmosphere and in the presence of a catalyst, the cellulosic material is contacted in a reaction vessel with a liquid solvent, wherein water is present from 5% up to 80 wt %, based on the total amount of cellulosic material and liquid solvent present in the vessel, at an a controlled operating pressure of from equal to or more than 2.0 MPa to equal to or less than 13.0 MPa, wherein the partial hydrogen pressure contributes from equal to or more than 1.0 MPa to equal to or less than 6.0 MPa, and the total vapour pressure being lower than the autogenous pressure at the operating temperature and contributing in the range of from equal to or more than 1.0 MPa to equal to or less than 7.0 MPa, to produce a product mixture comprising bio-oil.

Polycarbon biofuels may be made from feedstock such as wood waste, agricultural wastes and waste paper. The feedstock may be cooked under acidic conditions to convert cellulose and similar material in the feedstock into a biofuel that is hydrophobic, readily pelletized, and has a high energy density. The biofuel may be blended with coal or other fuels to provide blended fuels that may be burned in conventional burners. One process forms a slurry of the feedstock, sparges carbon dioxide through the slurry to achieve a pH below 5 and cooks the slurry at temperatures in the range of 170 C to 300 C until conversion of the feedstock to polycarbon biofuel has occurred. The biofuel may be separated from liquids in the slurry by filtration.

A method of extending the catalyst life of a hydrogenolysis catalyst activity in the presence of biomass and aqueous solution is described. Lignocellulosic biomass solids and aqueous solution is provided to in a hydrothermal digestion unit in the presence of a digestive solvent, and a supported hydrogenolysis catalyst containing (a) sulfur, (b) Mo or W, and (c) Co, Ni or mixture thereof, incorporated into a solid metal oxide support. The lignocellulosic biomass solids in the hydrothermal digestion unit is heated to a temperature in the range of 180 C. to less than 300 C. in the presence of digestive solvent, hydrogen, and in the range of 0.15 wt. % to 12.5 wt. %, based on catalyst, of H.sub.2S or H.sub.2S source at least partially soluble in aqueous solution, and the supported hydrogenolysis catalyst forming a product solution containing plurality of oxygenated hydrocarbons, the hydrothermal digestion unit maintaining protective sulfur concentration.

A process for reducing coke formation during hydrocarbon upgrading reactions using a double-wall reactor comprising the steps of feeding a heated feed water to a shell-side volume of the double-wall reactor to produce a heat transfer stream, the double-wall reactor comprising an exterior wall and an interior wall, a reaction section volume, a heating element configured to heat the heat transfer stream, wherein heat is transferred from the heat transfer stream to the reaction section volume, feeding the hot water return exiting the shell-side volume through a filter; mixing the filtered water stream with a heated hydrocarbon feedstock; feeding the mixed stream to the reaction section volume in a configuration counter-current to the heat transfer stream; reacting the reaction flow stream at a reaction temperature, wherein the heat transferred to the reaction section volume is operable to maintain the reaction temperature above the critical temperature of water.

A system for hydrothermal reaction comprises a heater (3) including a circulating component for fluid flowing across and a heat source for heating fluid, and a reactor (4, 5) including a heat preserving container in communication with the circulating component via pipes. A method for hydrothermal reaction comprises heating the fluid including the reactant and water for hydrothermal reaction, and feeding the heated fluid to the heat preserving container to perform the hydrothermal reaction.

The present invention provides processes for deconstructing biomass to produce aqueous and organic products using a solvent produced in a bioreforming reaction.