Process for conversion of a cellulosic material

Abstract

A process for conversion of a cellulosic material comprising a) a liquefaction step, comprising contacting a cellulosic material with a liquid solvent at a temperature of equal to or more than 200° C.; or contacting a cellulosic material with a liquid solvent at a temperature of equal to or more than 100° C. in the presence of a catalyst, to produce a final liquefied product; b) a catalytic cracking step, comprising contacting at least part of the final liquefied product with a fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than 400° C., to produce one or more cracked products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for conversion of a cellulosic material comprising
 a liquefaction step to produce a final liquefied product, the liquefaction step comprising:
 contacting a cellulosic material with a liquid solvent at a temperature of equal to or more than about 200° C.; or 
 contacting a cellulosic material with a liquid solvent at a temperature of equal to or more than about 100° C. in the presence of a catalyst; and 
   a catalytic cracking step to produce at least one cracked product, the catalytic cracking step comprising contacting at least part of the final liquefied product with a fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 400° C.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid solvent comprises water and/or an organic solvent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction step comprises simultaneously contacting the cellulosic material with an organic solvent, a source of hydrogen, an acid catalyst and a hydrogenation catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 150° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction step comprises contacting the cellulosic material with an organic solvent in the presence of an acid catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 150° C. to produce an intermediate liquefied product; and subsequently hydrotreating the intermediate liquefied product with a source of hydrogen in the presence of a hydrotreatment catalyst to produce a final liquefied product. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid solvent is an organic solvent and wherein the process further comprises a separation step, wherein at least a portion of the final liquefied product produced in the liquefaction step is separated from at least part of the organic solvent. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the separated portion of the organic solvent is used in the liquefaction step. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic cracking step comprises contacting at least part of the final liquefied product and a fluid hydrocarbon co-feed with the fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 400° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid hydrocarbon co-feed comprises at least one of a straight run (atmospheric) gas oil, a flashed distillate, a vacuum gas oil (VGO), a light cycle oil, a heavy cycle oil, a hydrowax, a coker gas oil, a gasoline, a naphtha, a diesel, a kerosene, an atmospheric residue (“long residue”), a vacuum residue (“short residue”), and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction step comprises contacting a cellulosic material with an organic solvent at a temperature of equal to or more than about 100° C. in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the organic solvent comprises a fraction of a petroleum oil; and wherein the catalytic cracking step comprises contacting a mixture of at least part of the final liquefied product and the fraction of a petroleum oil with a fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst in a fluidized catalytic cracking reactor at a temperature of equal to or more than about 400° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the liquefaction step comprises simultaneously contacting the cellulosic material with the fraction of a petroleum oil, with a source of hydrogen, and with a hydrogenation catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 150° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a further organic solvent is generated in-situ during the liquefaction step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction step comprises simultaneously contacting the cellulosic material with a liquid solvent, with a source of hydrogen, with an acid catalyst and with a hydrogenation catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 150° C.; and wherein the catalytic cracking step comprises contacting at least part of the final liquefied product with a fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 400° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the liquid solvent is water or a solvent mixture comprising an organic solvent and water. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the final liquefied product or part thereof comprises one, two or more compounds chosen from the group consisting of gamma-valerolactone and/or levulinic acid; tetrahydrofufuryl and/or tetrahydropyranyl; furfural and/or hydroxymethylfurfural; mono- and/or di-alcohols and/or mono- and/or di-ketones; and/or guaiacol and/or syringol components. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises:
 a fractionation step comprising fractionating the at least one cracked product to produce at least one product fraction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the process further comprises:
 a hydrotreatment step comprising hydrotreating the at least one product fraction with a source of hydrogen to produce at least one hydrotreated product fraction.   
     
     
         17 . A biofuel component comprising the at least one product fraction or any product derived from the at least one product fraction produced in  claim 15 . 
     
     
         18 . A biofuel component comprising the at least one hydrotreated product fraction or any product derived from the at least one hydrotreated product fraction produced in  claim 16 . 
     
     
         19 . A process for the production of a biofuel comprising blending the biofuel component of  claim 17  with one or more other components to produce a biofuel. 
     
     
         20 . A process for the production of a biofuel comprising blending the biofuel component of  claim 18  with one or more other components to produce a biofuel.