Method for the production of synthetic fuels

Abstract

A method for producing synthetic fuels is provided. The process can involve the reaction of metals with water to liberate hydrogen, which can attack the feedstock molecules and with elevated temperature and pressure, reform the feedstocks into liquid fuels. These can be used as is or refined and used as gasoline, diesel fuel, aircraft fuel or burned to produce heat for uses such as generating electricity. The process can be environmentally friendly, producing no net greenhouse gases.

1 . A method of producing combustible liquid fuels, comprising:
 providing a feedstock component comprising hydrocarbon or carbohydrate polymers, said feedstock component comprising about 5% to 25% water, by weight;   combining the feedstock component with metal particles and heating the combination under reaction conditions and at a first reaction temperature sufficiently high to cause the feedstock polymers to shorten in length, to reduced size hydrocarbons; and polymerizing the reduced size hydrocarbons into combustible fuel hydrocarbon molecules with 6 to 21 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock polymers are liquefied at a temperature from about 250° F. to about 450° F. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the liquefied feedstock polymers are heated to a temperature between about 450° F. to about 650° F. to form short chain hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbon particles are heated to a temperature between about 700° F. to 800° F. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbons are heated to a temperature between about 800° F. to 850° F. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbons are heated to a temperature between about 750° F. to 850° F. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combustible fuel produced comprises more than about 80% 6-12 carbon hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combustible fuel produced comprises more than 80% 12-21 carbon hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combustible fuel produced comprises more than 80% 15-19 carbon hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal powder comprises group powders of VIII metals. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising blending the combustible fuel with gasoline, diesel fuel or aircraft fuel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal powder component comprises iron powder. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising grinding up the feedstock particles so that at least 80% are less than about 500 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising grinding up the feedstock particles so that at least 80% are less than about 300 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 80% of the metal powder used is less than 500 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 80% of the metal powder used is less than 300 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock component is combined with a hydrocarbon solvent and then ground to a particle size, wherein at least about 80% of the particles are less than about 500 microns in diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the feedstock particles is ground tires. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the combustible fuel produced is recycled and combined with the feedstock particles before the particles. 
     
     
         20 . A process of liquefying automobile tires, comprising:
 grinding the tires into particles;   reacting the hydrocarbon polymers in the tires with hydrogen at elevated heat and pressure to form liquid hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         21 . A process of liquefying tires or biomass, comprising:
 combining the tires or biomass with water and metal powder;   reacting the metal powder with the water to produce hydrogen and reacting the hydrogen with the tires or biomass to reduce the size of the cellulose in the biomass or the polymers in the tires.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the metal powder is obtained by the step of grinding up the metal belts in tires. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein alkanes and alkanol are produced. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein biomass containing cellulose is combined with the water and metal powder and undergoes a dehydration reaction.
 The method of  claim 21 , wherein the metal powder becomes oxidized.