Methods for hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solids in the presence of a distributed slurry catalyst

摘要

Digesting cellulosic biomass solids in the presence of a well-distributed slurry catalyst capable of activating molecular hydrogen may limit the amount of degradation products that form during digestion. Methods for digesting cellulosic biomass solids can comprise: providing cellulosic biomass solids and a slurry catalyst in a hydrothermal digestion unit, the slurry catalyst being capable of activating molecular hydrogen; distributing the slurry catalyst within the cellulosic biomass solids using upwardly directed fluid flow in the hydrothermal digestion unit; heating the cellulosic biomass solids in the hydrothermal digestion unit in the presence of the slurry catalyst, a digestion solvent, and molecular hydrogen, thereby forming a liquor phase comprising soluble carbohydrates; and performing a first catalytic reduction reaction on the soluble carbohydrates within the hydrothermal digestion unit, thereby at least partially forming a reaction product comprising a triol, a diol, a monohydric alcohol, or any combination thereof in the hydrothermal digestion unit.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
providing cellulosic biomass solids and a slurry catalyst in a hydrothermal digestion unit, the slurry catalyst being capable of activating molecular hydrogen, wherein the slurry catalyst is bottom-loaded to the hydrothermal digestion unit; distributing the slurry catalyst within the cellulosic biomass solids using upwardly directed fluid flow velocity sufficient to transport at least a portion of the slurry catalyst through the cellulosic biomass solids in the hydrothermal digestion unit; heating the cellulosic biomass solids in the hydrothermal digestion unit in the presence of the slurry catalyst, a digestion solvent, and molecular hydrogen, thereby forming a liquor phase comprising soluble carbohydrates; and performing a first catalytic reduction reaction on the soluble carbohydrates within the hydrothermal digestion unit, thereby at least partially forming a reaction product comprising a triol, a diol, a monohydric alcohol, or any combination thereof in the hydrothermal digestion unit.