Biofuel compositions and methods based on co-processing aromatic-rich and aromatic-lean components

Abstract

Biofuel compositions obtained by the simultaneous hydroprocessing of at least two distinct hydroprocessing feedstocks, either or both of which are derived from biomass, are disclosed. The co-processing of these feedstocks can result in an upgraded product having suitable characteristics, in terms of composition (e.g., quantities of compounds such as aromatic hydrocarbons, present in relatively large amounts) and in terms of quality (e.g., quantities of compounds such as oxygenates, present in relatively small amounts) for use as a hydroprocessed biofuel such as hydroprocessed aviation biofuel.

1 . A method for making a fuel composition, the method comprising contacting an aromatic-rich biomass derived component and an aromatic-lean component with hydrogen under catalytic hydroprocessing conditions to provide a hydroprocessed biofuel. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic-lean component is obtained from a combination of gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the aromatic-lean component comprises olefinic hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic-lean component is derived from biomass and the aromatic-rich component is derived from either biomass or tall oil. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the aromatic-lean component is derived from biomass independently selected from the group consisting of hardwood, softwood, hardwood bark, softwood bark, corn fiber, corn stover, sugar cane bagasse, switchgrass, miscanthus, algae, waste paper, construction waste, demolition waste, municipal waste, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic hydroprocessing conditions result in both hydrotreating and hydrocracking reactions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic-rich biomass derived component is obtained from pyrolysis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic-rich biomass derived component comprises tall oil rosin acids or eucalyptols. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the aromatic-rich biomass derived component is crude tall oil or depitched tall oil. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic-rich biomass derived component comprises from about 10% to about 50% of oxygen by weight. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessed biofuel is a hydroprocessed aviation biofuel recovered from fractionation of a hydroprocessed product of the contacting of the aromatic-rich biomass derived component and the aromatic-lean component with hydrogen. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein fractionation separates the hydroprocessed aviation biofuel fraction from lower boiling hydrocarbons and higher boiling hydrocarbons present in the hydroprocessed product. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lower boiling hydrocarbons comprise C 4   −1  hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising generating, from at least a portion of the C 4   −1  hydrocarbons, at least a portion of the hydrogen for contacting with the aromatic-rich biomass derived component and the aromatic-lean component. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising catalytically reforming at least the portion of the C 4   −1  hydrocarbons in the presence of steam to generate at least the portion of the hydrogen for contacting with the aromatic-rich biomass derived component and the aromatic-lean component. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising blending the hydroprocessed aviation biofuel fraction with from about 1% to 99% by weight of a petroleum derived aviation fuel. 
     
     
         17 . A fuel composition comprising a hydroprocessed aviation biofuel obtained from hydroprocessing an aromatic-rich biomass derived component and an aromatic-lean component. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel composition of  claim 17 , wherein the hydroprocessed aviation biofuel fraction comprises less than about 500 part per million (ppm) of total organic oxygen by weight. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel composition of  claim 17 , wherein the hydroprocessed aviation biofuel fraction comprises at least about 99.5% hydrocarbons by weight. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel composition of  claim 17 , wherein the hydroprocessed aviation biofuel fraction comprises at least about 3% aromatic hydrocarbons by volume.