Catalyst for producing hydrocarbons

Abstract

A hydropyrolysis catalyst and a process using that catalyst are described. The catalyst comprises a support and an active metal component wherein the catalyst is an eggshell type catalyst having the active metal component located in the outer portion of the support.

1 . A hydropyrolysis catalyst comprising a support and an active metal component wherein the catalyst is an eggshell type catalyst having the active metal component located in the outer portion of the support. 
     
     
         2 . A hydropyrolysis catalyst comprising a support and an active metal component wherein at least 60 wt % of the total active metal component is located in the outer 50% of the volume of the support. 
     
     
         3 . The catalyst as claimed in  claim 2  wherein at least 75 wt % of the total active metal component is located in the outer 50% of the volume of the support. 
     
     
         4 . The catalyst as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the active metal component is selected from nickel, cobalt, molybdenum and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A hydropyrolysis catalyst comprising a support and an active metal component wherein the active metal component is distributed in an outer shell region of the catalyst having a penetration depth of 3 to 15% of the catalyst diameter and a remaining center of the catalyst such that the ratio of the average concentration in the outer shell region to the average concentration in the remaining center of the catalyst is in the range of from 1.3:1 to 6:1. 
     
     
         6 . The catalyst as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the penetration depth of the outer shell region is the minimum depth from the surface of the catalyst at which the active metal concentration lies within plus or minus 10% of the active metal concentration at the geometric middle of the catalyst. 
     
     
         7 . The catalyst as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the center of the catalyst has a diameter in the range of from 300 to 500 μm. 
     
     
         8 . The catalyst as claimed in  claim 5  wherein up to 30% of the total active metal component in the catalyst by weight is in the outer shell region. 
     
     
         9 . A hydropyrolysis catalyst comprising a support and an active metal component wherein a center of the catalyst comprises a base active metal concentration and a remaining outer shell region of the catalyst comprises an increased active metal concentration, the center having a diameter of at least 200 μm and the outer shell region having a penetration depth in the range of from 40 μm to 500 μm. 
     
     
         10 . A hydropyrolysis catalyst comprising a support and an active metal component wherein the support comprises an outer shell region and a center region; the center region is defined as the volume of the support within 25% of the radius of the support, the outer shell region is the volume of the support between the outer surface and 75% of the radius; and the ratio of the average active metal concentration in the outer shell region to the average active metal concentration in the center region is from 1.3:1 to 6.0:1. 
     
     
         11 . A process for converting biomass to products comprising:
 contacting the biomass with hydrogen in the presence of a fluidized bed of hydropyrolysis catalyst in a reactor vessel under hydropyrolysis conditions; and   removing products and char from the reactor vessel wherein the hydropyrolysis catalyst is an eggshell type catalyst.   
     
     
         12 . A process for converting biomass to products comprising:
 contacting the biomass with hydrogen in the presence of a fluidized bed of hydropyrolysis catalyst in a reactor vessel under hydropyrolysis conditions; and   removing products and char from the reactor vessel   wherein the hydropyrolysis catalyst is as claimed in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the settling velocity of the char is less than 90% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         14 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the settling velocity of the char is less than 75% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         15 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the settling velocity of the hydropyrolysis catalyst is greater than 110% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         16 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the settling velocity of the hydropyrolysis catalyst is greater than 150% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         17 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the hydropyrolysis conditions comprise a temperature in the range of from 270° C. to 450° C. and a pressure in the range of from 1 MPa to 7.5 MPa. 
     
     
         18 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of plant-derived materials, including biorefinery residues and agricultural wastes, lignin, lignocellulosic biomass and aquatic biomass. 
     
     
         19 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of animal and human-derived materials, including protein, fat from rendering plants, poultry wastes, sewage sludge, and wastes from aquaculture. 
     
     
         20 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of materials from municipal solid waste dumps, including plastics, plastic residues accumulated in oceanic gyres, paper, cardboard, yard waste, and food residue. 
     
     
         21 . A process as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the biomass comprises a mixture of any two or more biomasses claimed in any of  claims 18 - 20 . 
     
     
         22 . A process for converting biomass to products comprising:
 contacting the biomass with hydrogen in the presence of a fluidized bed of fresh hydropyrolysis catalyst in a reactor vessel under hydropyrolysis conditions;   removing products and char from the reactor vessel;   carrying out the contacting and removing steps for a period of time such that the fresh hydropyrolysis catalyst attrits in the fluidized bed to form small catalyst particles; and   removing at least a portion of the small catalyst particles with the products and char   wherein the products leave the fluidized bed at a exit bed velocity, the char has a settling velocity that is less than the exit bed velocity, the fresh hydropyrolysis catalyst has a settling velocity that is greater than the exit bed velocity, the small catalyst particles have a settling velocity that is less than the exit bed velocity and the hydropyrolysis catalyst is a catalyst as claimed in any of  claims 1  to  10 .   
     
     
         23 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the settling velocity of the char is less than 90% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         24 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the settling velocity of the char is less than 75% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         25 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the settling velocity of the fresh hydropyrolysis catalyst is greater than 110% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         26 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the settling velocity of the fresh hydropyrolysis catalyst is greater than 150% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         27 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the settling velocity of the small catalyst particles is less than 90% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         28 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the settling velocity of the small catalyst particles is less than 75% of the exit bed velocity. 
     
     
         29 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising separating the products to remove the carbon monoxide and light hydrocarbons from the remainder of the products. 
     
     
         30 . A process as claimed in  claim 29  further comprising passing the remainder of the products to a hydroconversion reactor wherein the remainder of the products are contacted with a hydroconversion catalyst under suitable hydroconversion conditions to produce a condensable liquid hydrocarbon product that has less than 1% oxygen. 
     
     
         31 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the small catalyst particles are separated out by a filter and the char is separated by a cyclone. 
     
     
         32 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the small catalyst particles are separated out by a filter and the char is separated by a virtual impactor. 
     
     
         33 . A process as claimed in  claim 22  wherein the small catalyst particles are separated out by a filter and the char is separated by an electrostatic precipitator.