Methods of and apparatuses for upgrading a hydrocarbon stream including a deoxygenated pyrolysis product

Abstract

Methods of and apparatuses for upgrading a hydrocarbon stream are provided. In an embodiment, a method of upgrading a hydrocarbon stream includes providing the hydrocarbon stream that includes a deoxygenated pyrolysis product. The hydrocarbon stream also includes a residual oxygen-containing compound content. The residual oxygen-containing compound content of the hydrocarbon stream is reduced to form an upgraded hydrocarbon stream.

1 . A method of upgrading a hydrocarbon stream, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing the hydrocarbon stream comprising a deoxygenated pyrolysis product, wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises a residual oxygen-containing compound content; and   contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a solvent composition that has a greater affinity for oxygen-containing compounds over hydrocarbons to reduce the residual oxygen-containing compound content of the hydrocarbon stream.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition comprises contacting the hydrocarbon stream in a liquid phase with the solvent composition in a liquid phase, with oxygen-containing compounds transferred from the hydrocarbon stream to the solvent composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising separating an oxygenate-rich solvent composition in the liquid phase from the upgraded hydrocarbon stream in the liquid phase after contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising regenerating the oxygenate-rich solvent composition to produce an oxygen-containing compound stream and a oxygenate-lean solvent stream. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising separating the oxygenate-lean solvent stream into a drag stream and a recycle stream, wherein the recycle stream is combined with fresh solvent composition and contacts the hydrocarbon stream to reduce the residual oxygen-containing compound content of the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition comprises contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition comprising a basic solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition comprises contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition at a fraction of the solvent composition to the hydrocarbon stream of from about 2 to about 10% by volume, based on the total volume of the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the hydrocarbon stream comprises pyrolyzing a biomass feed to produce a pyrolysis product stream. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein pyrolyzing the biomass feed comprises catalytically pyrolyzing the biomass feed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein catalytically pyrolyzing the biomass feed produces an intermediate pyrolysis stream, and wherein the method further comprises fractionating the intermediate pyrolysis stream to produce the deoxygenated pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein pyrolyzing the biomass feed comprises thermally pyrolyzing the biomass feed. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising deoxygenating the pyrolysis product stream to produce the deoxygenated pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the hydrocarbon stream comprises co-processing a pyrolysis product stream and a petroleum-based source of hydrocarbons to produce the hydrocarbon stream. 
     
     
         15 . A method of upgrading a hydrocarbon stream, the method comprising the steps of:
 pyrolyzing a biomass feed to produce a pyrolysis product stream;   contacting the pyrolysis product stream or a derivative thereof with a solvent composition that has a greater affinity for oxygen-containing compounds over hydrocarbons; and   separating an oxygenate-rich solvent composition from an upgraded hydrocarbon stream after contacting the hydrocarbon stream with the solvent composition.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein contacting the pyrolysis product stream or the derivative thereof with the solvent composition comprises contacting the pyrolysis product stream or the derivative thereof in a liquid phase with the solvent composition in a liquid phase. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for upgrading a hydrocarbon stream, the apparatus comprising:
 a pyrolysis unit for pyrolyzing a biomass feed to produce a pyrolysis product stream;   optionally, a deoxygenating unit for receiving the pyrolysis product stream and for deoxygenating the pyrolysis product stream;   an extraction unit, downstream of the optional deoxygenating unit, for receiving the hydrocarbon stream comprising a deoxygenated pyrolysis product and for extracting residual oxygen-containing compounds from the hydrocarbon stream.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the pyrolysis unit is further defined as a catalytic pyrolysis unit, and wherein the apparatus is free from the deoxygenating unit. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the pyrolysis unit is further defined as a thermal pyrolysis unit, and wherein the deoxygenating unit is present in the apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a co-processing unit in fluid communication with the extraction unit, upstream of the extraction unit. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pyrolysis product stream or the derivative thereof is contacted with the solvent composition in an extraction column, and wherein separating the oxygenate-rich solvent composition from the upgraded hydrocarbon stream comprises collecting the oxygenate-rich solvent composition in the extraction column and removing the oxygenate-rich solvent composition from a bottom of the extraction column, with the hydrocarbon stream exiting the extraction column at a top thereof.