H2 AND BIO-FUELS PRODUCTION FROM RENEWABLE FEEDSTOCKS
20180010052 · 2018-01-11
Inventors
- Anil Kumar Sinha (Uttarakhand, IN)
- Mohit Anand (Uttarakhand, IN)
- Saleem Akthar Farooqui (Uttarakhand, IN)
- Rakesh Kumar (Uttarakhand, IN)
- Rakesh Kumar Joshi (Uttarakhand, IN)
- Rohit Kumar (Uttarakhand, IN)
- Aditya Rai (Uttarakhand, IN)
Cpc classification
C01B2203/1211
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C10G3/48
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C01B2203/0277
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Y02P30/20
GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
C01B3/22
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C10G3/50
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
Abstract
The present invention discloses a catalytic process for the manufacture of hydrogen and hydrocarbons simultaneously in the same reactor from renewable source, i.e. lipids, glycerides and fatty acids from plant, animal or algae oil, where in the multiple unstaurations in the renewable feedstock and the catalytic intermediates produced in the process from renewable feedstock is converted catalytically using simultaneous combination of in-situ occurring reactions. These in-situ occurring reactions are simultaneous combination of hydroconversion, reforming and water gas shift reactions wherein the reaction is performed in the presence of one or more metal sulfides form of metals of Group VI and/or Group IX and/or Group X elements, specifically comprises of one or more active metal combinations such as Co, W, Mo, Ni, P, with Pt, Pd encapsulated inside sodalite cages for prevention against poisoning from sulfur based compounds. The hydroconversion comprises of reactions in presence of hydrogen such as hydrocracking, dehydrogenation, dehydrocyclization, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, decarboxylation, decarbonylation, cyclization and aromatization reactions. The catalyst along with the active metals also includes porous silica-alumina, zeolite, silica, alumina, silicoaluminophosphates or a combination of two or more thereof used as support for the above said process. These catalysts are loaded in a graded beds (two or more beds of different catalyst mixtures) or simultaneously (mixture of different catalyst systems) and reacted specifically at lower temperatures than the steam reforming conditions i.e. at pressure from 10 to 150 atmosphere, average temperature of the catalytic bed from 250° C. to 500° C., space-velocity of from 0.5 h.sup.−1 to 8 h.sup.−1, and hydrogen to feed ratio of from 300 NL of hydrogen/L of feed to 3500 NL hydrogen/L of feed., Initially hydrogen gas is supplied for conversion of the renewable feed stocks, as the reaction process the hydrogen consumed during the conversion of plant, animal or algae oil into hydrocarbons is balanced from the in-situ reactions such as reforming, dehydrogenation, water gas shift etc occurring during the same process. This production of hydrogen makes the entire process refinery independent and more economical and sustainable. Along with hydrogen the renewable feed stock is also converted into hydrocarbons ranging between C1-C24 carbon number, comprising of n-paraffins, isoparaffins, cyclo paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics and polynuclear aromatics.
Claims
1. A single reactor catalytic process for obtaining hydrogen gas and hydrocarbons ranging from C1-C24 from a renewable feedstock such as plant, animal or algae oil, lipids, glycerides and fatty acids in the presence of a single or multiple or mixtures of catalysts beds along with single or multiple catalytic materials comprising of one or more active metal combinations such as Mo, Ni, Co, W and encapsulated Pt, Pd inside sodalite cages, at average temperature of the catalytic bed from 250° C. to 500° C. (lower than those for steam methane/naphtha reforming reactions which are 550° C. or above).
2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalytic intermediates are produced by multiple unsaturations in the renewable feedstock.
3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalytic conversion of renewable feedstock comprises simultaneously occurring hydrocracking, dehydrogenation, dehydrocyclization, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, decarboxylation, decarbonylation, water gas shift, reforming, cyclization, aromatization and/or combination of these reactions.
4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction is performed in the presence of one or more metal sulfides or reduced form of metals of Group VI and/or Group IX and/or Group X elements, specifically the catalyst comprises of one or more active metal combinations such as Mo, Ni, Co, W and encapsulated Pt, Pd inside sodalite cages.
5. The process according to claim 1, where the catalysts includes porous silica-alumina, zeolite, silica, alumina, silicoaluminophosphates or a combination of two or more thereof used as support.
6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction is additionally performed in the presence of noble metals Pt, Pd encapsulated inside small pore zeolites such as sodalite.
7. The process according to claim 1, where operating conditions for the hydroconversion reactions are in between 10 to 150 atmosphere pressure, average temperature of the catalytic bed from 250° C. to 500° C., space-velocity of from 0.5 h.sup.−1 to 8 h.sup.−1, and hydrogen to feed ratio of from 300 NL of hydrogen/L of feed to 3500 NL hydrogen/L of feed.
8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the renewable feedstock comprises any of the lipids/glyceride oils, soya oil, waste cooking oil, jatropha oil, karanj oil, algal oil, camelina oil and waste animal fats.
9. The process according to claim 1, wherein hydrogen, water, CO.sub.2, CO, and hydrocarbons mixtures of paraffins, naphthens and aromatics ranging from C1-C24 carbon atoms are produced from renewable feedstock.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0016]
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
[0019] The renewable feedstock/source i.e. lipids, glycerides and fatty acids from plant, animal or algae oil is mixed with hydrogen and processed over one or more metal sulfides or reduced form of metals of Group VI and/or Group IX and/or Group X elements, specifically the catalyst comprises of one or more active metal/nonmetals combinations such as Mo, W, Ni, Co, P, and Pt, Pd encapsulated inside Sodalite cages. The encapsulation of the Pt prevents poisoning from sulfur compounds. The renewable feedstock feed comprises any of the lipids/glyceride oils, soya oil, waste cooking oil, jatropha oil, karanj oil, algal oil, camelina oil, and waste animal fats. Our earlier disclosed invention, patent application 4093/DEL/2015 for development of such encapsulated catalytic systems; patent application numbers 3039/DEL/2012, WO 2014/049621, 3441/DEL/2012, 2622/DEL/2014, WO2016038633 which disclose formation of biofuels and aromatics are included in the present invention by reference. The above mentioned catalyst along with the active metals can also includes porous silica-alumina, zeolite, silica, alumina, silicoaluminophosphates or a combination of two or more thereof used as support for the active metals. The renewable source is processed over the afore mentioned catalyst under hydroprocessing conditions, i.e. specifically at low temperature, 250-500° C. than those for steam methane/naphtha reforming conditions (550° C. or above) to convert the renewable source into hydrogen, and hydrocarbons ranging between C1-C24 carbon number, comprising of n-paraffins, isoparaffins, cyclo paraffins, naphthenes, aromatics and polynuclear aromatics. The above mentioned feedstocks is converted catalytically using simultaneous combination of hydroconversion, reforming and water gas shift reactions at pressure from 10 to 150 atmosphere, average temperature of the catalytic bed from 250° C. to 500° C., space-velocity of from 0.5 h.sup.−1 to 8 h.sup.−1, and hydrogen to feed ratio of from 300 NL of hydrogen/L of feed to 3500 NL hydrogen/L of feed. The previous inventions as described earlier do not disclose the formation of hydrogen and material balances used for calculating the specific hydrogen consumption/generation in the process. The present invention discloses the hydrogen production and production rates in the process. The selectivity of the produced products may be achieved by suitably selecting the active metals, support and process conditions. The reactions occurring during the process are hydrocracking, dehydrogenation, dehydrocyclization, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, decarboxylation, decarbonylation, water gas shift, reforming, cyclization, aromatization and/or combination thereof. Renewable source is the oil originating from vegetable and animal fats, Vegetable and animal fats includes, but not limited to, waste restaurant oil, soyabean oil, jetropha oil, camelina oil, karanj oil, rice-bran oil and algae oil etc. The active metal(s) may be either in the reduced or sulfided form. Catalyst is reduced/sulfided in the reactor itself and the (re)sulfidation of the catalyst, during processing, helps in maintaining the desired activity for hydrogen production and also for maintaining the desired product patterns of hydrocarbons, specifically in terms of the amount of naphthenes, aromatics, paraffins and isoparaffins produced in the process. The hydrogen flow is kept constant at a specified rate and temperature of the bed is increased to 280° C. at a specified rate and keeps the bed this temperature under hydrogen flow for a specified period and then cool down the reactor to 50° C. The sulfidation of the reactor is also carried out in the reactor itself. The sulfidation is done by using the sulfur containing compound such as sulfides, disulfides and dimethyldisulfides. The catalyst bed is dried out by maintaining the nitrogen flow and increasing the bed temperature to 175° C. at a specified rate. The sulfiding agent mixed with straight run petroleum fraction is injected in the bed. Hydrogen flow is also maintained at specified rate. The temperature of the reactor bed is increased to the reaction temperature in a programmed way. After sulfidation, the sulfidation feed is replaced by actual renewable feed.
[0020] The hydrogen consumed during the conversion of plant, animal or algae oil into hydrocarbons is balanced from the in-situ reactions such as reforming, dehydrogenation, water gas shift etc occurring during the same process. This production of hydrogen makes the entire process refinery independent and more economical and sustainable. The inventors believe that the multiple unstaurations (two or more double bonds such as in linoleic acid) in the feeds and the catalytic intermediates produced in the process from renewable feedstock (
[0021] In one embodiment of this invention, renewable oil and/or natural fats containing lipids from various origins as mentioned earlier in detailed description is contacted with disclosed catalyst, but not limited to those mentioned earlier in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions, i.e. specifically at low temperature, 250-500° C. than those for steam methane/naphtha reforming conditions (550° C. or above) for the production of hydrogen gas and hydrocarbon compounds ranging between C1-C24 carbon number comprising of of n-paraffins, isoparaffins, cyclo paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics and polynuclear aromatics. The renewable feedstocks is converted catalytically using simultaneous combination of hydroconversion, reforming and water gas shift reactions at pressure from 10 to 150 atmosphere, average temperature of the catalytic bed from 250° C. to 500° C., space-velocity of from 0.5 h.sup.−1 to 8 h.sup.−1, and hydrogen to feed ratio of from 300 NL of hydrogen/L of feed to 3500 NL hydrogen/L of feed. With the indication of catalyst deactivation in terms of appearance of unreacted glyceride as observed by GC, the catalyst is resulfided by putting 1000 ppm dimethyldisulfide in the vegetable oil. The products obtained with this resulfided catalyst have higher content of C17 as compared to C18. Also there were intermediate oxygenated compounds (Kubicka et al. (2009) and Huber et al. (2007) observed which were stable formed directly from vegetable oil. The NMR and IR analysis showed the presence of esters, alcohols, aldehydes, acids. Also the products had a high total acidity number (TAN) which showed the presence of acidic compounds (Anand et al., (2012), Bioresor. Technol.). These acidic intermediates were promoting the cracking, isomerization, aromatization reforming; water gas shift and dehydrocyclization reactions. The products were analyzed by gas-chromatography and also in-operando using FT-IR measurement setup.
[0022] Different catalysts such as Pd/Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Pd/C and sulfided CoMo/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 did not show ester formation, unlike in case of thermal conversion reactions (
[0023] Based on the intermediates identified from the in-operando FT-IR studies, the most plausible mechanism for triglyceride conversion into hydrocarbons is proposed (
[0024] The feed is also doped with small quantities (1 ppm to 1%) of DMDS so as to prevent deactivation of the catalyst. The (re)sulfidation of the catalyst, during processing, helps in maintaining the desired activity for hydrogen production and also for maintaining the desired product patterns of hydrocarbons, specifically in terms of the amount of naphthenes, aromatics, paraffins and isoparaffins produced in the process.
EXAMPLES
[0025] Below, the present invention is further described in detail by working Examples, to which the present invention is not limited. The products were analyzed by gas-chromatography ASTM D6730 DHAX analysis. The concentration of aromatics, naphthenes, paraffins and isoparaffins was determined by 2D GCXGC-MS system from PAC, Agilent specifically designed for hydrocarbons ranging between C5-C25. Gas phase was analyzed by Agilent refinery gas analyser. Material balance was performed for the experiments. The difference between the total hydrogen inlet and the hydrogen in the outlet gas was used for quantitative measurements of hydrogen gas generated in each experiment, calculated as
where m=mass flow rate; m.sub.catalyst is mass of the catalyst loaded in the reactor.
Example 1
[0026] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided 4% CoO-16% MoO.sub.3-4% NiO/SiO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 420′C, 30 bar, 1.5 h.sup.−1, and 2000 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A total of 8% Naphthenes, 3.3% mono aromatics and 12.5% polynuclear aromatics were observed, with 15% yield of naphtha, 40% yield of kerosene and 45% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 1.5. In addition, 3.36 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was produced in the reactor. The amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics was calculated to be 0.09 liters/hr/g.sub.cat which was less as compared to total hydrogen produced, indicating occurrence of other side reactions such as reforming, water gas shift leading to production of hydrogen in-situ with other hydrocarbons, water, CO and CO.sub.2.
Example 2
[0027] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided graded bed catalyst system, i.e. first bed of 4% CoO-16% MoO.sub.3-1% P.sub.2O.sub.5/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and the second bed of 4% NiO-16% MoO.sub.3/SiO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 460° C., 30 bar, 1.5 h-1, and 1500 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A total of 11% Naphthenes, 8.7% mono aromatics and 5.5% polynuclear aromatics were observed, with 15% yield of naphtha, 25% yield of kerosene and 60% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 1.1. In addition, 2.3 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was produced in the reactor. The amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics was calculated to be 0.1 liters/hr/g.sub.cat which was less as compared to total hydrogen produced, indicating occurrence of other side reactions such as reforming, water gas shift leading to production of hydrogen in-situ with other hydrocarbons, water, CO and CO.sub.2.
Example 3
[0028] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided graded bed catalyst system, i.e. first bed of 4% CoO-16% MoO.sub.3-1% P.sub.2O.sub.5/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and the second bed of 0.75% Pt encapsulated inside a sodalite cage catalyst (Pt@SOD). The encapsulation of the Pt prevents poisoning from sulfur compounds. Our earlier disclosed invention patent application 4093/DEL/2015 for development of such encapsulated catalytic systems included in the present invention by reference. The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 460° C., 50 bar, 1.5 h.sup.−1, and 1500 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A total of 16% Naphthenes, 11.3% mono aromatics and 3% polynuclear aromatics were observed, with 20% yield of naphtha, 30% yield of kerosene and 50% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 0.8. In addition, 2.3 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was produced in the reactor. The amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics was calculated to be 0.11 liters/hr/g.sub.cat which was less as compared to total hydrogen produced, indicating occurrence of other side reactions such as reforming, water gas shift leading to production of hydrogen in-situ with other hydrocarbons, water, CO and CO.sub.2.
Example 4
[0029] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided graded bed catalyst system, i.e. first bed of 4% CoO-16% MoO.sub.3-1% P.sub.2O.sub.5/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and the second bed of 0.75% Pd encapsulated inside a sodalite cage catalyst (Pd@SOD). The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 440° C., 40 bar, 1.5 h.sup.−1, and 1500 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A total of 25% Naphthenes, 6% mono aromatics and 1.6% polynuclear aromatics were observed, with 15% yield of naphtha, 25% yield of kerosene and 60% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 0.8. In addition, 1.5 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was produced in the reactor. The amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics was calculated to be 0.08 liters/hr/g.sub.cat which was less as compared to total hydrogen produced, indicating occurrence of other side reactions such as reforming, water gas shift leading to production of hydrogen in-situ with other hydrocarbons, water, CO and CO.sub.2.
Example 5
[0030] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided 4% CoO-16% MoO.sub.3-4% NiO/SiO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 380° C., 50 bar, 1.5 h.sup.−1, and 2000 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A total of 9% Naphthenes, 7% mono aromatics and 7.3% polynuclear aromatics were observed, with 5% yield of naphtha, 10% yield of kerosene and 85% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 2. In addition, 2 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was produced in the reactor. The amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics was calculated to be 0.14 liters/hr/g.sub.cat which was less as compared to total hydrogen produced, indicating occurrence of other side reactions such as reforming, water gas shift leading to production of hydrogen in-situ with other hydrocarbons, water, CO and CO.sub.2.
Example 6
[0031] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided 4% CoO-16% WO.sub.3-4% NiO/SiO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 380° C. 50 bar, 1.5 h-1, and 2500 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A total of 8% Naphthenes, 6% mono aromatics and 7.3% polynuclear aromatics were observed, with 5% yield of naphtha, 15% yield of kerosene and 80% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 2.5. In addition, 1.7 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was produced in the reactor. The amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics was calculated to be 0.12 liters/hr/g.sub.cat which was less as compared to total hydrogen produced, indicating occurrence of other side reactions such as reforming, water gas shift leading to production of hydrogen in-situ with other hydrocarbons, water, CO and CO.sub.2.
Comparative Example 1
[0032] Glycerides were processed in a fixed bed reactor with sulfided 16% MoO.sub.3-4% NiO/SiO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The reaction conditions for the experiments were: 380-400° C., 50-100 bar, 1.5 h.sup.−1, and 2000-2500 NL H.sub.2 gas/NL liquid feed. A maximum of 2% Naphthenes, 1% mono aromatics were observed, with 5% yield of naphtha, 10% yield of kerosene and 85% yield of diesel range hydrocarbons and the isomer to normal hydrocarbon ratio was found to be 1.5. In addition, 1.6 liters/hr/g.sub.cat of hydrogen was consumed in the process. No hydrogen was produced in the overall process. Although there may be some amount of hydrogen produced due to formation of naphthenes and aromatics, (which was calculated to be only 4.4 milliliters/hr/g.sub.cat, indicating negligible amount of hydrogen produced), and hence hydrogen was being consumed during the process.
Advantages
[0033] The present invention relates to development of a low cost, low temperature and single reactor catalytic process for the production of hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels from renewable source such as oils originating from plant, animal fats or algae sources. The hydrogen consumed during the conversion of plant, animal or algae oil into hydrocarbons is balanced from the in-situ reactions such as reforming, dehydrogenation, water gas shift etc occurring during the same process. This production of hydrogen makes the entire process refinery independent and more economical and sustainable. Hydrogen produced by renewable sources is utilized for their conversion into hydrocarbon and petrochemicals with no additional requirement of hydrogen gas as a reactant. This invention of catalyst and process makes the entire process for the conversion of lipids from various origins less dependent on refinery hydrogen for operation and can be setup at rural and agricultural areas on a stand alone basis near the site of production of these renewable oils, with minimal initial requirement of hydrogen gas and minimal investment. The above mentioned feedstocks is converted catalytically using simultaneous combination of hydroconversion, reforming and water gas shift reactions at pressure from 10 to 150 atmosphere, average temperature of the catalytic bed from 250° C. to 500° C., space-velocity of from 0.5 h.sup.−1 to 8 h.sup.−1, and hydrogen to feed ratio of from 300 NL of hydrogen/L of feed to 3500 NL hydrogen/L of feed. The intermediates identified from the in-situ FT-IR studies indicated towards the most plausible mechanism for glyceride conversion into hydrocarbons, and hydrogen gas. The glyceride hydro-conversion primarily leads to formation of aldehydes and acids along with simultaneous elimination of propane. The acids and aldehydes would further get hydrogenated to produce hydrocarbon. The acid may also undergo cyclization to produce cyclic ketones which would further undergo dehydrogenation-dehydration reactions to form more stable aromatics (as confirmed by IR bands for these compounds) (