Method of processing adulterated biomass feedstocks

Abstract

A method is provided that involves contacting a feed stream including a biorenewable feedstock and adulterants with a catalyst in a fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor to produce a hydroprocessed product with less adulterants than the feed stream.

1 . A method comprising contacting a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock and one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives with a hydrotreatment catalyst in a fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor to produce a hydroprocessed product with less polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives than the feed stream;
 wherein
 the amount of the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives in the feed stream is about 0.1 wppm to about 1000 wppm based on the biorenewable feedstock; 
 the fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor
 is at a temperature less than about 680° F.; and 
 is at a pressure from about 200 psig to about 4,000 psig. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessed product comprises
 at least 80 wt % paraffins falling within the range of C ii  to C 24 , where the paraffins comprise C 16  and C 18  paraffins;   from about 0.1 wt % to about 7.0 wt % cycloparaffins; and   from about 0.001 wt % to about 1.0 wt % aromatics.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives comprise acrylonitrile butadiene styrene thermoplastic, polyacrylate rubber, ethylene-acrylate rubber, polyester urethane, bromo isobutylene isoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, chloro isobutylene isoprene rubber, polychloroprene, chlorosulphonated polyethylene, epichlorohydrin polymer, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer polymer, polyether urethane, tetrafluoroethylene/propylene rubbers, perfluorocarbon elastomers, fluoroelastomer, fluoro silicone, fluorocarbon rubber, high density polyethylene, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber, polyisoprene, isobutylene isoprene rubber, low density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polyethylene, polyisobutene, polypropylene, polystyrene, poly vinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyurethane, styrene butadiene, styrene ethylene butylene styrene copolymer, polysiloxane, vinyl methyl silicone, acrylonitrile butadiene carboxy monomer rubber, styrene butadiene carboxy monomer rubber, thermoplastic polyether-ester, styrene butadiene block copolymer, styrene butadiene carboxy block copolymer, polyesters, polyamides, or polyacetals. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives comprise polyvinylidene chloride. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives further comprise a polymer additive. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives comprise styrenated phenol, 2-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, 2- and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, 2,6-distyrenated p-cresol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-nonylphenol, 2,4-bis-(n-octylthio)-6-(4-hydroxy-3′,5′-di-tert-butylanilino)-1,3,5-triazine, 2,5-di-tert-amylhydroquinone, mono-tert-butylhydroquinone, hydroquinone monomethyl ether, 2,5-di-t-butyl hydroquinone, tris(p-nonylphenyl)phosphite, tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphite, distearyl pentaerythritol diphosphite, dilauryl-3,3′-thio-dipropionate, distearyl-3,3′-thio-diproprionate, ditridecyl-thio-dipropionate, or thiodipropionic acid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives comprise acephate, acetochlor, aldicarb, atrazine, bifenthrin, chloropicrin, chlorothalonil, chlorphyrifos, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dichloropropene, dimethenamid, diuron, ethephon, fenoxycarb, glyphosate, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, metham sodium, metham potassium, methyl bromide, metolachlor, paraquat, pendimethalin, propanil, simazine, or trifluralin. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed stream comprises a biorenewable feedstock, a polymer, and a polymer additive. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein from about 100 to about 15,000 reactor volumes of biorenewable feedstock are processed prior to shutdown of the fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid hourly space velocity of the biorenewable feedstock through the fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor is from about 0.2 hr −1  to about 10.0 hr −1 . 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biorenewable feedstock comprises animal fats, animal oils, plant fats, plant oils, vegetable fats, vegetable oils, or greases. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biorenewable feedstock comprises animal fats, poultry oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oils, palm oil, palm kernel oil, jatropha oil, castor oil, camelina oil, algae oil, seaweed oil, halophile oils, rendered fats, restaurant greases, brown grease, yellow grease, waste industrial frying oils, fish oils, tall oil, or tall oil fatty acids. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biorenewable feedstock comprises animal fats, restaurant greases, brown grease, yellow grease, or waste industrial frying oils. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessed product is fractionated to provide a middle distillate fraction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed stream further comprises a diluent and the volume ratio of diluent to biorenewable feedstock falls within the range from about 0.5:1 to about 20:1. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessed product is suitable as a diesel fuel, a diesel fuel additive, a diesel fuel blendstock, a turbine fuel, a turbine fuel additive, a turbine fuel blendstock, an aviation fuel, an aviation fuel additive, or an aviation fuel blendstock. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hydroprocessed product is suitable as a diesel fuel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the middle distillate fraction is suitable as a diesel fuel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed stream comprises a biorenewable feedstock and any two or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives in the feed stream is about 1 wppm to about 1000 wppm based on the biorenewable feedstock. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives in the feed stream is about 10 wppm to about 1000 wppm based on the biorenewable feedstock. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives is reduced by at least about 30%. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives are converted into hydroprocessed product. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor is at a temperature from about 480° F. to about 645° F. 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising
 contacting a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock and any two or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives with a hydrotreatment catalyst in a fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor to produce a hydroprocessed product with less of the any two or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives than the feed stream;   wherein
 the amount of the any two or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives in the feed stream is about 0.1 wppm to about 1000 wppm based on the biorenewable feedstock; 
 the fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor
 is at a temperature from about 480° F. to about 680° F.; 
 is at a pressure from about 200 psig to about 4,000 psig; and 
 
 the any two or more of polymers, drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives are reduced by at least about 30%. 
   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the hydroprocessed product is suitable as a diesel fuel, a diesel fuel additive, a diesel fuel blendstock, a turbine fuel, a turbine fuel additive, a turbine fuel blendstock, an aviation fuel, an aviation fuel additive, or an aviation fuel blendstock. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising
 contacting a feed stream comprising a biorenewable feedstock and one or more of drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives with a hydrotreatment catalyst in a fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor to produce a hydroprocessed product with less drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives adulterants than the feed stream;   wherein
 the amount of one or more of drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives in the feed stream is about 0.1 wppm to about 1000 wppm based on the biorenewable feedstock; 
 the fixed bed hydroprocessing reactor
 is at a temperature from about 480° F. to about 680° F.; and 
 is at a pressure from about 200 psig to about 4,000 psig. 
 
   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the amount of one or more of drugs, pesticides, or food preservatives in the feed stream is about 10 wppm to about 1000 wppm based on the biorenewable feedstock. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the hydroprocessed product is suitable as a diesel fuel, a diesel fuel additive, a diesel fuel blendstock, a turbine fuel, a turbine fuel additive, a turbine fuel blendstock, an aviation fuel, an aviation fuel additive, or an aviation fuel blendstock. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed stream comprises a biorenewable feedstock and a polymer.