BIOMASS CONVERSION SYSTEMS PROVIDING integrated STABILIZATION OF A HYDROLYSATE USING A SLURRY CATALYST AND METHODS FOR USE THEREOF

摘要

Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids to form a hydrolysate may be conducted with integrated catalytic reduction during digestion to transform soluble carbohydrates in the hydrolysate into a more stable reaction product. Such integrated catalytic reduction may be conducted using a slurry catalyst. Biomass conversion systems for performing integrated catalytic reduction can comprise: a hydrothermal digestion unit that contains a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen; an optional hydrogen feed line that is operatively connected to the hydrothermal digestion unit; and a fluid circulation loop comprising the hydrothermal digestion unit and a catalytic reduction reactor unit, the catalytic reduction reactor unit also containing the slurry catalyst.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
providing cellulosic biomass solids to a hydrothermal digestion unit that contains a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen; heating the cellulosic biomass solids in the hydrothermal digestion unit in the presence of molecular hydrogen while circulating the slurry catalyst therethrough, thereby forming a hydrolysate comprising soluble carbohydrates within a liquor phase, at least partially transforming the soluble carbohydrates into a reaction product while the soluble carbohydrates are within the hydrothermal digestion unit; transferring at least a portion of the liquor phase to a catalytic reduction reactor unit that also contains a slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen; wherein the slurry catalyst in the hydrothermal digestion unit and the catalytic reduction reactor unit comprises a particulate size of about 250 microns or less; heating at least the liquor phase in the catalytic reduction reactor unit in the presence of molecular hydrogen and the slurry catalyst to further transform the soluble carbohydrates into the reaction product; and recirculating at least a portion of the liquor phase from the catalytic reduction reactor unit to the hydrothermal digestion unit via a fluid circulation loop comprising the hydrothermal digestion unit and the catalytic reduction reactor unit, wherein the liquor phase is recirculated to the hydrothermal digestion unit at a recycle ratio in a range of about 0.2 and about 10.