The present invention provides processes, methods, and systems for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to liquid fuels and chemicals. The method generally includes the reaction of a hydrolysate from a biomass deconstruction process with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a reaction product comprising one of more oxygenated compounds. The process also includes reacting the reaction product with a condensation catalyst to produce C.sub.4+ compounds useful as fuels and chemicals.

Various techniques are disclosed for pretreating municipal solid waste (MSW) and other biomass-containing feedstocks that may be of a poorer quality and consequently more difficult, or even impossible, to convert to higher value liquid products (e.g., transportation fuels) using conventional processes. Such conventional processes may otherwise be satisfactory for the conversion of the biomass portion of the feedstock alone. The pretreatment of biomass-containing feedstocks may generally include steps carried out prior to a hydropyrolysis step and optionally further steps, in order to change one or more characteristics of the feedstock, rendering it more easily upgradable.

The present invention provides a process for producing liquid hydrocarbon products from a solid biomass feedstock, said process comprising the steps of: a) providing in a first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel a first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition, said composition comprising one or more active metals selected from cobalt, molybdenum, nickel, tungsten, ruthenium, platinum, palladium, iridium and iron on an oxide support, wherein the one or more active metals are present in an oxidic state; b) contacting the solid biomass feedstock with said first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition and molecular hydrogen in said first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel at a temperature in the range of from 350 to 600 C. and a pressure in the range of from 0.50 to 7.50 MPa, to produce a product stream comprising partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product, H.sub.2O, H.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CO, C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases, char and catalyst fines; c) removing said char and catalyst fines from said product stream; d) hydroconverting said partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel in the presence of one or more hydroconversion catalyst and of the H.sub.2O, CO.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gas generated in step a), to produce a vapour phase product 25 comprising substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon product, H.sub.2O, CO, CO.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases.

A bottom fraction of a product of a hydrocatalytic reaction is gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions. In one embodiment, one or more volatile organic compounds is also vaporized using heat generated in the gasification process. In one embodiment, an overhead fraction of the hydrocatalytic reaction is further processed to generate higher molecular weight compounds. In another embodiment, a product of the further processing is separated into a bottom fraction and an overhead fraction, where the bottom fraction is also gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions.

A bottom fraction of a product of a hydrocatalytic reaction is gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions. In one embodiment, an overhead fraction of the hydrocatalytic reaction is further processed to generate higher molecular weight compounds. In another embodiment, a product of the further processing is separated into a bottom fraction and an overhead fraction, where the bottom fraction is also gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions.

The amount of renewable hydrocarbons produced from biomass may be increased by pyrolyzing the biomass in a biomass conversion unit in the presence of hydrogen sulfide or a sulfiding agent. The formation of deposits of unwanted carbonaceous materials, such as coke, is reduced by the presence of the hydrogen sulfide or sulfiding agent.

The present invention provides a process for producing liquid hydrocarbon products from a solid biomass feedstock, said process comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel a first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition;
b) contacting the solid biomass feedstock with said first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition and molecular hydrogen in said first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel to produce a product stream comprising partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product, H2O, H2, CO2, CO, C1-C3 gases, char and catalyst fines;
c) removing said char and catalyst fines from said product stream;
d) hydroconverting said partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel in the presence of one or more hydroconversion catalyst and of the H.sub.2O, CO.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gas generated in step a), to produce a vapour phase product comprising substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon product, H.sub.2O, CO, CO.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases.

The present invention provides a process for producing liquid hydrocarbon products from a solid biomass feedstock, said process comprising the steps of: a) providing in a first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel a first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition; b) contacting the solid biomass feedstock with said first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition and molecular hydrogen in said first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel to produce a product stream comprising partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product, H.sub.2O, H.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CO, C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases, char and catalyst fines; c) removing said char and catalyst fines from said product stream; d) hydroconverting said partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel in the presence of one or more hydroconversion catalyst and of the H.sub.2O, CO.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gas generated in step a), to produce a vapour phase product comprising substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon product, H.sub.2O, CO, CO.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases.

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.

The present disclosure relates to a process for production of a hydrocarbon fraction from an oxygenate feedstock, comprising the steps of providing a process feed comprising an amount of an ammonia precursor, hydrogen and an amount of oxygenates at a temperature above 200 C., directing said process feed to contact a material catalytically active in hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) under hydrotreating conditions to provide a hydrodeoxygenated intermediate product, wherein said ammonia precursor provides an amount of ammonia corresponding to a partial pressure of NH.sub.3 in the presence of said material catalytically active in hydrodeoxygenation being at least 0.1 mbar, This has the associated benefit that the ammonia precursor releases ammonia by thermal reaction, such that the presence of ammonia may limit the extent of formation of high boiling product in the hydrodeoxygenation process.