Process for conversion of a cellulosic material

Abstract

Methods to convert a cellulosic material into a bio-oil. In one embodiment, the method comprises (a) contacting the cellulosic material with a liquid solvent in an inert atmosphere at a reaction temperature in the range from equal to or more than about 260° C. to equal to or less than about 400° C. to produce a product mixture; (b) separating a middle fraction from the product mixture to produce a product mixture middle fraction. A first portion of the product mixture middle fraction can be recycled as part of the liquid solvent in step a). A second portion of the product mixture middle fraction can be used to produce a bio-oil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for the conversion of a cellulosic material into a bio-oil, comprising the steps of:
 a) contacting the cellulosic material with a liquid solvent in an inert atmosphere at a reaction temperature in the range from equal to or more than about 260° C. to equal to or less than about 400° C. to produce a product mixture;   b) separating a middle fraction from the product mixture to produce a product mixture middle fraction;   c) recycling a first portion of the product mixture middle fraction by using said first portion as part of the liquid solvent; and using a second portion of the product mixture middle fraction to produce a bio-oil.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid solvent comprises at least equal to or more than about 10 wt % of 3rd or higher generation reaction products. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid solvent comprises at least equal to or more than about 10 wt % of a steady state recycle product. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 90 wt % of the product mixture middle fraction has a boiling temperature of equal to or more than about 150° C. at about 0.1 MPa and of which about 90 wt % melts at a temperature equal to or less than the reaction temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein at least about 70 wt % of the product mixture middle fraction boils in the range from equal to or more than about 150° C. to equal to or less than about 650° C. at about 0.1 MPa. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the product mixture middle fraction comprises a mixture of three or more compounds. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said three or more compounds has a molecular weight in the range of equal to or more than about 100 grams per mol to equal to or less than about 10,000 grams per mol. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises
 a top fraction of the product mixture having a boiling temperature of less than about 150° C. at about 0.1 MPa; and   a bottom fraction of the product mixture having   
       a melting point higher than the reaction temperature in step a). 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the top fraction of the product mixture has a boiling temperature of less than about 200° C. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the top fraction and the bottom fraction are removed from the product mixture. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step b) comprises separating the product mixture into a light fraction; a middle fraction; and a heavy fraction; wherein the middle fraction is selected to produce the product mixture middle fraction. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the light fraction comprises compounds having a molecular weight of less than 100 grams per mol; the middle fraction comprises compounds having a molecular weight in the range from equal to or more than 100 grams per mol to equal to or less than 10,000 grams per mol; and the heavy fraction comprises compounds having a molecular weight of more than 10,000 grams per mol. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein at least about 30 wt % of the liquid solvent comprises a recycled product mixture middle fraction. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step a) is carried out in an environment substantially absent of any hydrogenation catalyst. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step a) is carried out in an environment substantially absent of any reducing or oxidizing gases. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the product mixture middle fraction comprises less than about 5% of components having a molecular weight of equal to or more than about 10,000 gram per mol. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the first portion of the product mixture middle fraction comprises less than about 5% of components having a molecular weight of equal to or more than 3000 gram per mol. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step a) is carried out in an environment substantially absent of an externally added catalyst. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step a) is carried out in the presence of an in-situ generated organic acid catalyst. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising:
 contacting a fluid hydrocarbon co-feed and an, optionally hydrotreated, bio-oil with a fluidized catalytic cracking catalyst at a temperature of equal to or more than about 400° C., to produce at least one cracked product. 
 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20  further comprising fractionating and/or hydrotreating the at least one cracked product to produce at least one base fuel. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21  further comprising blending the at least one base fuel with at least one other component to produce a biofuel.