Fluid catalytic cracking process of crude lignin oil (CLO)

Abstract

A FCC process including the steps of (a) adding a crude lignin oil (CLO) to a FCC unit, wherein the FCC unit has a FCC riser, a catalyst regenerator and a reactor/stripper, wherein CLO is a crude lignin oil composition including lignin and a polar organic solvent in 1:10 to 1:0.3 w/v ratio, (b) optionally adding a second feed including a conventional FCC feedstock to the FCC unit, (c) adding a regenerated catalyst from the regenerator to the FCC riser for catalytic cracking and upgrading the CLO and second feedstock to produce upgraded products and deactivated catalyst, (d) adding the upgraded products and deactivated catalyst from the FCC riser to the reactor/stripper and separating upgraded products from deactivated catalyst in the reactor/stripper, (e) adding the deactivated catalyst from (d) to the regenerator to regenerate the deactivated catalyst to provide regenerated catalyst; and
collecting the upgraded products.

Claims

1. A FCC process, comprising the steps of: (a) adding a crude lignin oil (CLO) to a FCC unit, wherein the FCC unit comprises a FCC riser, a catalyst regenerator and a reactor/stripper, wherein the CLO is a crude lignin oil composition comprising lignin and a polar organic solvent in 1:10 to 1:0.3 w/v ratio, wherein the lignin has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range of 1000-2000 Dalton and the polar organic solvent comprises methanol, wherein the CLO is a medium crude lignin composition (CLO-M) comprising 8-30 wt. % of lignin and 70-92 wt. % of polar organic solvent or the CLO is a high crude lignin composition (CLO-H) comprising 30-80 wt. % of lignin and 20-70 wt. % polar organic solvent based on the total weight of the CLO and the oxygen to carbon ratio (O:C ratio) of the lignin in the CLO-M and CLO-H lignin composition is in a range of 0.25-0.45, (b) optionally adding a second feed comprising a FCC feedstock to the FCC unit, (c) adding a regenerated catalyst from the regenerator to the FCC riser for catalytic cracking and upgrading the CLO and second feedstock to produce upgraded products and deactivated catalyst, (d) adding the upgraded products and deactivated catalyst from the FCC riser to the reactor/stripper and separating upgraded products from deactivated catalyst in the reactor/stripper, (e) adding the deactivated catalyst from (d) to the regenerator to regenerate the deactivated catalyst to provide regenerated catalyst; and (f) collecting the upgraded products.

2. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein the lignin is solubilized in the polar organic solvent.

3. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein the catalytic cracking and upgrading process in the FCC riser is conducted at a temperature between 400-800° C., and a pressure between 0.5-3 bar, and/or the contact time between catalyst and CLO in the FCC riser ranges between 1-60 seconds.

4. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein CLO comprises 50-75 wt. % of lignin and 25-50 wt. % of polar organic solvent.

5. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein the lignin has a polydispersity index in a range of 2.1-3 and/or wherein the CLO has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 1.5 and 200 cST.

6. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein CLO is a medium crude lignin composition (CLO-M) comprising 8-30 wt. % of lignin and 70-92 wt. % of polar organic solvent, and wherein CLO-M lignin composition has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 1.5 and 20 cST.

7. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein CLO is a high crude CLO (CLO-H) comprising 30-80 wt. % of lignin and 20-70 wt. % polar organic solvent, and wherein the CLO-H has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 20 and 200 cST.

8. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein the CLO has been prepared in a solvolysis process comprising the steps of providing a lignin-rich solid feedstock and subjecting the lignin-rich solid feedstock to a treatment in a polar organic solvent in the absence of an effective amount of added reaction promoter, and providing a lignin composition, wherein said treatment comprises a step of contacting said lignin-rich solid feedstock with a polar organic solvent under operating conditions of an operating temperature up to 210° C., an operating pressure lower than 50 bar and a residence time up to 240 minutes, wherein the feeding ratio (w/v) of lignin (present in the lignin-rich solid feedstock) to polar organic solvent ranges between 1:1.5 and 1:15, wherein the reaction mixture, obtained after solvolyse of the lignin-rich solid feedstock, is subjected to a solid/liquid separation step for obtaining a liquid phase and a solid phase.

9. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of the lignin and the polar organic solvent with respect to the CLO is at least 75 wt. %, at least 85 wt. %, at least 90 wt. %, at least 95 wt. %, at least 98 wt. %, at least 99 wt. % or 100 wt. %.

10. The FCC process according to claim 1, wherein the CLO comprises methylated or non-methylated C5 and/or C6 sugars.

11. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein the catalytic cracking and upgrading process in the FCC riser is conducted at a temperature between 400-800° C. and a pressure between 0.5-3 bar, and/or the contact time between catalyst and CLO in the FCC riser ranges between 1-60 seconds.

12. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein CLO comprises 50-75 wt. % of lignin and 25-50 wt. % of polar organic solvent.

13. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein the lignin has a polydispersity index in a range of 2.1-3 and/or wherein the CLO has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 1.5 and 200 cST.

14. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein CLO is a medium crude lignin composition (CLO-M) comprising 8-30 wt. % of lignin and 70-92 wt. % of polar organic solvent, and wherein CLO-M lignin composition has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 1.5 and 20 cST.

15. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein CLO is a high crude CLO (CLO-H) comprising 30-80 wt. % of lignin and 20-70 wt. % organic solvent, and wherein the CLO-H has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 20 and 200 cST.

16. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein the CLO has been prepared in a solvolysis process comprising the steps of providing a lignin-rich solid feedstock and subjecting the lignin-rich solid feedstock to a treatment in a polar organic solvent in the absence of an effective amount of added reaction promoter, and providing a lignin composition, wherein said treatment comprises a step of contacting said lignin-rich solid feedstock with a polar organic solvent under operating conditions of an operating temperature up to 210° C., an operating pressure lower than 50 bar and a residence time up to 240 minutes, wherein the feeding ratio (w/v) of lignin (present in the lignin-rich solid feedstock) to polar organic solvent ranges between 1:1.5 and 1:15, wherein the reaction mixture, obtained after solvolyse of the lignin-rich solid feedstock, is subjected to a solid/liquid separation step for obtaining a liquid phase and a solid phase.

17. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein the total amount of the lignin and the polar organic solvent with respect to the CLO is at least 75 wt. %, at least 85 wt. %, at least 90 wt. %, at least 95 wt. %, at least 98 wt. %, at least 99 wt. % or 100 wt. %.

18. The FCC process according to claim 2, wherein the CLO comprises methylated or non-methylated C5 and/or C6 sugars.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The FIGURE describes the FCC unit according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) The invention relates to a FCC process according to the present invention comprises the steps of (a) adding a crude lignin oil (CLO) to a FCC unit, wherein the FCC unit comprises a FCC riser, a catalyst regenerator and a reactor/stripper, (b) optionally adding a second feed comprising a conventional FCC feedstock to the FCC unit, (c) adding a regenerated catalyst from the regenerator to the FCC riser for catalytic cracking and upgrading the CLO and second feedstock to produce upgraded products and deactivated catalyst, (d) adding the upgraded products and deactivated catalyst from the FCC riser to the reactor/stripper and separating upgraded products from deactivated catalyst in the reactor/stripper, (e) adding the deactivated catalyst from (d) to the regenerator to regenerate the deactivated catalyst to provide regenerated catalyst; and (f) collecting the upgraded products.

(3) FCC Process

(4) Fluid Catalytic Cracking or FCC process vaporizes and breaks long-chain, high-boiling hydrocarbon liquids into shorter molecules by contacting the feedstock, at high temperature and moderate pressure, with a fluidized powdered catalyst.

(5) Long-chain carbon compounds comprise long-chain hydrocarbons typically found in a conventional petroleum-based FCC feed stream as well as hydrocarbons, lignins, carbohydrates, lipids, fats, cholesterols, polyols, and other complex molecules found in biological materials including those found in biomass, and other biologically derived feed streams.

(6) The FCC process may be conducted at a temperature between 400-800° C., preferably 500-650° C. and 0.5-3 bar, preferably 1-2 bar; preferably step (c) is conducted at a temperature between 400-800° C., preferably 500-650° C. and 0.5-3 bar.

(7) The FCC process may have the lignin monomers or oligomers from the CLO in contact with the catalyst between 1-60 seconds, preferably between 1-10 seconds, more preferably between 2-4 seconds. There may be multiple contact times if two or more injection sites are used along the FCC riser.

(8) The FCC process may have the CLO injected at one or more locations from the bottom of the FCC riser, for example ¾, ⅔, ½, ⅓, ¼ vertically along the FCC riser, or at the top of the FCC riser.

(9) CLO is preferably added in step (a) with a pump. The FCC process may have the CLO preferably added to the FCC riser using an oil pump.

(10) The FCC process may have the FCC riser fed with a conventional FCC feedstock and a CLO in a weight ratio of between 100:1 and 1:100 (FCC feedstock to CLO), preferably between 50:1 and 1:50, more preferably between 10:1 and 1:10.

(11) The FCC process may have the CLO stream injected together with a second conventional FCC feedstock stream.

(12) Also hydrogen can be added to the FCC process to influence the CHO ratio of the feed to the FCC riser.

(13) CLO

(14) The present invention applies a crude lignin oil (CLO).

(15) CLO is a crude lignin oil composition composed of lignin and a polar organic solvent in 1:10 to 1:0.3 w/v ratio. Such ratio between the lignin and the polar organic solvent leads to an efficient FCC process.

(16) CLO typically comprises 5-80 wt. % of lignin and 20-95 wt. % of polar organic solvent. The lignin in CLO generally has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) between 500 and 5000 Dalton, preferably CLO has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range of 1000-2000 Dalton with a polydispersity index in a range of 2.1-3. The CLO preferably has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 1.5 and 200 cST.

(17) CLO may contain (methylated) C5 and/or C6 sugars.

(18) The polar solvent can in principle be any solvent which can make a stable lignin composition with a (partially depolymerized) lignin. Preferably the polar organic solvent is a polar organic solvent having at least one oxygen group. The polar organic solvent having at least one oxygen group is preferably chosen from the group of alcohols, ketones and esters, and combinations thereof. Examples of suitable alcohols are aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols (like phenols) and multifunctional alcohols, for example diols. The melting temperature of the solvent is preferably lower than 50° C. more preferably lower than 40° C.

(19) The polar organic solvent having at least one oxygen group is preferably chosen from the group of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, i-propanol, t-butanol, i-butanol, phenol, dials, like for example ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, butanediol, hexanediol, glycerol, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, and combinations thereof. Most preferably the polar organic solvent is chosen from ethanol, methanol, diol, phenol or mixtures of these.

(20) The CLO can contain some water in addition to the polar organic solvent. Water can come from the lignin, or be dissolved in the polar solvent (for example as an azeotropic mixture with ethanol). Typically, the amount of water is less than 25 wt. %, preferably less than 15 wt %, more preferably less than 10 wt. % of the sum of the lignin-rich solid feedstock and polar organic solvent.

(21) Preferably, the total amount of the lignin and the polar organic solvent with respect to the CLO is at least 75 wt. %, at least 85 wt. %, at least 90 wt. %, at least 95 wt. %, at least 98 wt. %, at least 99 wt. % or 100 wt. %.

(22) Preferably, the total amount of the lignin, the polar organic solvent and water with respect to the CLO is at least 95 wt. %, at least 98 wt. %, at least 99 wt. % or 100 wt. %.

(23) Preferably, the CLO is a crude lignin oil composition comprising lignin and a polar organic solvent in 1:10 to 1:0.3 w/v ratio, wherein the lignin is solubilized in the polar organic solvent.

(24) CLO can be prepared in a solvolysis process comprising the steps of providing a lignin-rich solid feedstock and subjecting the lignin-rich solid feedstock to a treatment in a polar organic solvent in the absence of an effective amount of added reaction promoter, such as a heterogeneous and/or homogeneous catalyst and/or hydrogen, and providing a lignin composition, said treatment comprises a step of contacting said lignin-rich solid feedstock with a polar organic solvent under operating conditions of an operating temperature up to 210° C., an operating pressure lower than 50 bar and a residence time up to 240 minutes, wherein the feeding ratio (w/v) of lignin (present in the lignin-rich solid feedstock) to polar organic solvent ranges between 1:1.5 and 1:15.

(25) In this solvolysis process a mild depolymerisation can take place, with a minimum amount of char formation and a high amount of lignin solubilized in the polar organic solvent.

(26) In this solvolysis reaction lignin is solubilized by means of a polar hydrocarbon to form a stable crude lignin oil or CLO. CLO is thus essentially a blend of both products. By tuning the process conditions, the ratio between these CLO constituents can be controlled.

(27) In the first stage of the solvolysis process, lignin-rich solid feedstock is dispersed in a polar organic solvent and subjected to a mild depolymerisation process to produce a crude liquid lignin oil (CLO). In order to transform initially the lignin-rich solid feedstock to lignin composition, for example for use as a liquid chemical intermediate, a simplified approach involves cleavage of the weak ether linkages and break down of lignin into lower molecular weight oligomers. Ether linkages are more readily to be cleaved due to the lower bond enthalpy compared to the C—C linkages. The cleavage of lignin inter linkages in subcritical polar organic solvent conditions is believed to be the cause for partial depolymerisation. The relative yield of the depolymerized lignin components (monomers or oligomers) can be controlled by selecting a suitable set of process conditions for this first step. The key parameters of this process are temperature, residence time, lignin to solvent ratio and pressure.

(28) Preferably the operating temperature for the solvolysis process ranges between 100-210° C., preferably between 140-205° C., between 150 and 200° C., more preferably in a range of 160-199° C.

(29) Preferably the operating pressure for the solvolysis process ranges between 2-50 bar, preferably in a range of 5-40 bar.

(30) Preferably the residence time for the solvolysis process ranges between 10-120 minutes, preferably in a range of 20-90 minutes, more preferably between 21-40 minutes.

(31) In a preferred embodiment of the solvolysis process, first a lignin suspension is prepared in a solvent chosen from ethanol, methanol or mixtures thereof, after which the solvent (ethanol and/or methanol) can be (at least partially) replaced by a different polar organic solvent having at least one oxygen group.

(32) Surprisingly the ratio of lignin to organic solvent can be very high in the solvolysis process. This means that the amount of solvent used to dissolve the solid lignin can be low. Preferably the lignin-rich solid feedstock (mass):polar organic solvent (volume) ratio is between 1:2 and 1:10. This ratio refers to the starting mixing ratio of lignin with the polar organic solvent, before reaction (first stage). Preferably the ratio of lignin to polar organic solvent ranges between 1:2 and 1:5, especially in the case that the organic solvent is chosen from ethanol and/or methanol.

(33) The present solvolysis process comprises thus a method for creating a reversible lignin composition (the crude liquid lignin oil, CLO) by means of mild solvolytic chemical modifications wherein lignin is solubilized in a polar organic solvent in specific ratio and can be transported in liquid form to the FCC riser.

(34) In relation to the CLO composition (solvent to lignin) the term “ratio” is always based on a w/v ratio, i.e. weight per volume: it is expressed as the grams of lignin or lignin fragments which are dissolved in 1 ml solvent. The ratio is measured at 25° C. For example, a ratio of 1:2 means that 1 gram of lignin is dissolved in 2 ml of solvent.

(35) It is advantageous to add CLO to the FCC riser, wherein the CLO is a medium crude lignin oil composition (CLO-M) composed of lignin and a polar organic solvent in 1:10 to 1:5 w/v ratio or wherein the CLO is a heavy crude lignin oil composition (CLO-H) composed of lignin and a polar organic solvent in 1:2 to 1:0.3 w/v ratio, after distillation of excess solvent.

(36) In a preferred embodiment the reaction mixture, obtained after solvolyse of the lignin-rich solid feedstock, is subjected to a solid/liquid separation step for obtaining a liquid phase and a solid phase. The liquid phase is the CLO (lignin composition), while the solid phase is comprising undissolved products from the lignin-rich solid feedstock.

(37) In an embodiment the solid/liquid separation step is chosen from the group of filtration, centrifugation, decanting, settling, membranes, flash evaporation, or a combination thereof.

(38) In an embodiment the liquid phase is subject to a separation step for further removing said polar organic solvent, wherein the separation step is chosen from the group of vacuum distillation, atmospheric distillation, rotary evaporation and flash evaporation.

(39) In an embodiment the step of removing the polar organic solvent is continued until the ratio between the reaction lignin product and said polar organic solvent is in a range 1:2 and 1:0.3 for obtaining a product identified as heavy crude lignin oil (CLO-H). This ratio refers to the actual final amount of reaction lignin product solubilized in the polar solvent after the separation step.

(40) Examples of the lignin-rich solid feedstock are based on lignocellulosic biomass feedstock pre-treatment processes, such as acidic pulping, alkaline pulping (either Kraft or Soda), Bergius-Rheinau process, steam explosion, organosols pulping, (dilute) acid based hydrolysis, fraction processes based on Ionic Liquids (ILs), liquid salts (e.g., zinc chloride hydrate) or Deep eutectic solvents (DES), superheated or supercritical steam.

(41) The CLO used in the present invention can be for example a medium CLO or a high CLO.

(42) The medium crude lignin composition (CLO-M) typically comprises 8-30 wt. % of lignin and 70-92 wt. % of polar organic solvent, preferably between 10 and 30 wt. % lignin and 70-90 wt. % of polar organic solvent. The lignin in CLO-M preferably has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range of 1000-2000 Dalton with a polydispersity index in a range of 2.1-3. The CLO-M lignin composition preferably has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @40° C. between 1.5 and 20, preferably between 1.8 and 10 (cST).

(43) The CLO-M can contain different polar solvents. Preferably the polar organic solvent of the CLO-M is selected from diols and phenols, more preferably from ethanol and methanol. Preferably the amount of water in the CLO-M is less than 10 wt. %, more preferably less than 5 wt. %, less than 2 wt. %, relative to the CLO-M composition.

(44) The removing of solvent in the second stage continues to a lignin product in organic solvent which is still soluble, and no precipitation of the lignin occurs.

(45) The lignin composition CLO-H typically comprises 30-80 wt. % of lignin and 20-70 wt. % organic solvent, preferably between 50 and 75 wt. % lignin and 25-50 wt. % organic solvent. The lignin in CLO-H preferably has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in a range of 1000-2000 Dalton with a polydispersity index in a range of 2.1-3. The lignin composition preferably has a kinematic viscosity at a shear rate of 300 (1/s) @ 40° C. between 20 and 200 cST, preferably between 50 and 150 or between 60 and 140 (cST).

(46) The CLO-H can contain different polar solvents. Preferably the polar organic solvent of the CLO-H is selected from ethanol, methanol, dials, and phenol. Most preferably the polar organic solvent of the CLO-H is chosen from ethanol and methanol. Preferably the amount of water in the CLO-H is less than 10 wt. %, preferably less than 5 wt. %, or less than 2 wt. %, relative to the CLO-H composition.

(47) In an embodiment the oxygen to carbon ratio (O:C ratio) of the lignin in the CLO-M and CLO-H lignin compositions obtained according the present method as discussed above is in a range of 0,25-0,45.

(48) Second Feed Stream

(49) A conventional FCC feed may be used as a second feed stream and comprises a conventional petroleum FCC feed, vacuum gas oil (VGO), heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO), heavy vacuum oil, atmospheric distillation bottoms, coker gas oil, hexanes, naphthas, light cycle oil, heavy cycle oil, fuel oil, decant oil, raffinate, cyclohexane, n-hexane, kerosene, diesel, water, steam, alcohols, polyols, and mixtures of these solvents.

(50) The second feed stream comprises a conventional FCC feedstock, wherein said second stream may be injected into the FCC riser at the bottom or vertically along said FCC riser. The second feed stream may be injected at the same location as the CLO stream. The second feed stream may be injected at a different location from the CLO stream.

(51) The conventional FCC feed to FCC may be the portion of the crude oil that has an initial boiling point of 340° C. or higher at atmospheric pressure and an average molecular weight ranging from about 200 to 600 or higher. This portion of crude oil may be heavy gas oil or vacuum gas oil (HVGO).

(52) Catalyst

(53) The catalyst may be a fluidized powdered catalyst. The catalyst may be an active amorphous clay-type catalyst and/or a high activity, crystalline zeolite. Zeolite catalysts have been surprisingly found to have selectivity to the desired products in the FCC unit.

(54) The catalyst may comprise a large pore zeolite, such as a Y-type zeolite, an active alumina material, a binder material, comprising either silica or alumina or a clay such as kaolin.

(55) The FCC process may have a regenerated catalyst comprise zeolites, preferably an aluminosilicate zeolite.

(56) The catalyst may be a medium or smaller pore zeolite catalyst, such as for example ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-38, ZSM-48, ferrierite, erionite, and ST-5, developed by Petroleos de Venezuela, S. A.

(57) The catalyst preferably comprises a medium or smaller pore zeolite on a matrix comprising a binder material such as silica or alumina and an inert filer material such as kaolin. The catalyst may also comprise some other active material such as beta zeolite.

(58) The cracking reactions of the FCC process may produce some carbonaceous material (referred to as catalyst coke) that deposits on the catalyst and very quickly reduces the catalyst reactivity, the catalyst is regenerated by burning off the deposited coke with air blown into the regenerator. The regenerator may operate at a temperature between 700-750° C. and a pressure between 2-3 bar.

(59) FCC Unit

(60) FCC units can include “stacked” and “side-by-side” reactors, as well as other configurations. In a stacked reactor, the reactor and the catalyst regenerator are comprised in a single vessel with the reactor above the catalyst regenerator. The side-by-side reactor has separate reactor and catalyst regenerator in two separate vessels, often side by side.

(61) The Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) 10 unit comprises at least one FCC riser 12 having a longitudinal axis Y, a catalyst regenerator 11, CLO stream unit 15 and a reactor/stripper 13. The FCC riser 12 may have a first end 12a and a second end 12b along the longitudinal axis Y. The FCC riser 12 may receive the CLO stream unit 15.

(62) In the FCC riser 12, CLO reacts with regenerated catalyst 17 for catalytic cracking and upgrading producing upgraded products 14. CLO may be injected to the FCC riser 12 in a direction that is perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis Y of the FCC riser 15.

(63) The FCC biomass unit may have the CLO injected at one or more locations along the longitudinal axis Y of the FCC riser 12, for example ¾, ⅔, ½, ⅓, ¼ along the longitudinal axis Y of the FCC riser 12.

(64) The reactor/stripper 14 may be adapted for separating upgraded products from deactivated catalyst 18. The reactor/stripper 13 is preferably arranged the longitudinal axis Y of FCC riser 12, The reactor/stripper 13 may be connected to the FCC riser 12 at a first end 12a of said FCC riser 12.

(65) If desired, the FCC riser 12 may receive a second conventional FCC feedstock 16. The second conventional FCC feedstock 16 may be associated with the second end 12b of FCC riser 12. Said conventional FCC feedstock 16 reacts with regenerated catalyst 17 for catalytic cracking and upgrading producing upgraded products 14.

(66) In some embodiments, the catalyst regenerator 11 may regenerate the deactivated catalyst 18 to regenerated catalyst 17. Preferably said deactivated catalyst 18 may be transmitted to the regenerator 11 from said reactor/stripper 13 via a first motor valve and a regenerated catalyst 17 from the regenerator 11 may be transmitted to the FCC riser 12 via a second motor valve.

(67) Further the FCC unit 10 preferably comprises a CLO stream unit 15 and preferably a pump 19 to transport the CLO stream to the FCC riser 12.

(68) The FCC biomass unit preferably is dosed with a CLO stream comprising 5-80 wt. % of lignin, preferably between 50-75 wt. % lignin, and methanol; wherein the wt. % is relative to the total weight of the CLO stream.

(69) The CLO stream may be transported to the FCC riser using any pump, for example an oil pump.

(70) The FCC biomass unit may have the CLO stream injected together with the second conventional FCC feedstock stream.

(71) The FCC biomass unit may have the regenerated catalyst comprising zeolites, preferably an aluminosilicate zeolite.

(72) Lignin contact time with the catalyst may be between 1-60 seconds, for example between 1 and 30 seconds, preferably between 1 and 10 seconds, more preferably between 2-4 seconds, or there may be multiple contact times if two or more injection sites are used along the FCC riser.

(73) Reactor/Stripper

(74) The reactor/stripper for separating upgraded products from deactivated catalyst is connected to the FCC riser at the top end of said FCC riser. The reactor/stripper is further in connection with the regenerator.

(75) The reactor/stripper may be a vessel in which the upgraded product vapours are: (a) separated from the deactivated catalyst by flowing through a set of two-stage cyclones within the reactor/stripper and (b) the deactivated catalyst flows downward through a steam stripping section to remove any hydrocarbon vapours before the deactivated catalyst returns to the regenerator

(76) Regenerator

(77) The regenerator is in connection with the reactor/stripper and with the FCC riser. The deactivated catalyst that is separated from the gaseous component in the reactor/stripper and is introduced into the regenerator from the reactor/stripper, and coke is removed from the deactivated catalyst in the regenerator. The regenerator passes regenerated catalyst to the FCC riser.

(78) FCC Products

(79) The upgraded products of the FCC process may comprise one or more products selected from the group of depolymerized lignin, (deoxygenated aromatics) benzene, toluene, xylene, (oxygenated aromatics), phenolics, alkylated phenolics, gasoline, light cycle oil, light gases, #8 fuel oil, decant oil, naphtha, raffinate, cyclohexane, n-hexane, kerosene, diesel, fuel oil, methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, mixed butanes, petroleum coke and combinations thereof.

Embodiment

(80) The following examples of certain embodiments of the invention are given. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, one of many embodiments of the invention, and the following examples should not be read to limit, or define, the scope of the invention.

(81) In one embodiment, a CLO stream may be fed into a FCC riser through a pump to achieve lignin upgrading. The catalytic cracking of the conventional FCC feed also occurs in the FCC riser. The solid and vapor products are separated by cyclones in the FCC reactor. Solid products entrained by the catalyst particles are burned off in the regenerator and the vapor (conversion) product is distilled into various streams such as for example naphtha, CLO, and decant oil in the main fractionator.

(82) In another embodiment, lignin may be cracked and upgraded to fuel products by transporting the CLO stream through a pump to a FCC riser; combining the CLO stream with a conventional FCC feed stream and regenerated catalyst in the FCC riser, cracking and upgrading the lignin to upgraded fuel products in the FCC riser; separating upgraded fuel products from deactivated catalyst in reactor/stripper, regenerating the deactivated catalyst in the regenerator; and recycling the regenerated catalyst to the FCC riser.

(83) The invention also relates to a Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit for upgrading of CLO as defined above.

(84) TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE NUMERALS FCC Unit 10 Regenerator 11 Air  11a Flue Gas  11b FCC Riser 12 First End of FCC Riser  12a Second End of FCC Riser  12b Reactor/Stripper 13 Product 14 CLO Stream Unit 15 Conventional FCC Feedstock 16 Regenerated Catalyst 17 Deactivated Catalyst 18 Pump 19 Longitudinal central axis Y Perpendicular axis X