Biomass conversion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065418-B2
Application number	US-202117385164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2021
Priority date	May 23, 2016
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

Processes and reactor systems for biomass conversion are described. A continuous process for the conversion of carbohydrate-containing feed material into furanic compounds comprises a reaction step comprising subjecting said feed material to reaction conditions in a reaction medium comprising two immiscible liquid phases, including a reactive phase and an extractive phase, and a Brønsted acid as catalyst, wherein the reaction medium comprises a solid component comprising at least a part of a carbohydrate-containing fraction of said feed material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reactor system for the conversion of biomass to furanic compounds, comprising:
a reactor comprising an inlet and an outlet wherein the reactor is configured for continuous operation and for transport of components of a reaction medium from an inlet to an outlet,
a pulsating device in fluid communication with said reactor for providing reciprocating flow to a reaction medium in said reactor,
one or more separation units downstream of said reactor for solid/liquid separation and for liquid/liquid separation of a reactive phase from an extractive phase of the reaction medium,
a recovery unit for recovering product from the separated extractive phase, and a recycling loop from said recovery unit to said reactor for recycling of the extractive phase.

2. The reactor system according to claim 1 , further comprising a pre-treatment section.

3. The reactor system according to claim 2 , wherein said pre-treatment section is configured for mixing two or more feed materials.

4. The reactor system according to claim 2 , wherein the pre-treatment section is configured for reducing the size of particles or pieces of the feed material by grinding, milling, and/or chopping.

5. The reactor system according to claim 2 , wherein the pre-treatment section is configured for reducing the size of particles or pieces of the feed material using rotary size reduction equipment.

6. The reactor system according to claim 1 , further comprising a pre-treatment section, a recycle loop for supplying a reactive phase from said recovery unit to said reactor, and a downstream processing unit in fluid connection with said reactor for subjecting formed furanic compounds to chemical reactions, wherein said downstream processing unit has an inlet for receiving the separated extractive phase.

7. The reactor system according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor comprises multiple zones, wherein the reaction conditions in at least some zones are controllable independently of at least some other zones.

8. The reactor system according to claim 1 , further comprising a recycle loop for supplying a reactive phase from said recovery unit to said reactor.

9. The reactor system according to claim 1 , further comprising a downstream processing unit in fluid connection with said reactor for subjecting formed furanic compounds to chemical reactions.

10. The reactor system according to claim 9 , wherein said downstream processing unit has an inlet for receiving the separated extractive phase.

11. The reactor system according to claim 1 , further comprising a flow rectifying unit for conversion of rectifying flow of the reaction medium to forward only flow.

12. The reactor system according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a pulsating biphasic reactor.

13. The reactor system according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a mechanically agitated column, wherein the column reactor contains an agitation unit, wherein the agitation unit comprises at least one shaft extending in the vertical direction, wherein the shaft is provided with agitators, baffles, and/or impellers, and wherein in operation the shaft rotates and/or is reciprocated.

14. The reactor system according to claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a reciprocating-plate extraction column.

15. The reactor system according to claim 12 , wherein the reactor comprises a flow passageway for transport of the reaction medium from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the pulsating biphasic reactor is a pulsed column reactor comprising structures protruding into the flow passageway.

16. A continuous process for the conversion of carbohydrate-containing feed material into furanic compounds, the process comprising a reaction step comprising subjecting said feed material to reaction conditions for said conversion in a reaction medium comprising a reactive liquid phase and an extractive liquid phase, wherein said liquid phases are immiscible with each other, and a Brønsted acid as catalyst,
wherein said continuous process is carried out in a reactor system according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• TNO

Inventors

• Könst Paul Mathijs
• Urbanus Johan

Classifications

• C07D307/38 Primary

  with substituted hydrocarbon radicals attached to ring carbon atoms · CPC title

• B01J2219/00033

  Continuous processes · CPC title

• B01J19/1868

  resulting in a loop-type movement · CPC title

• B01D11/0492

  Applications, solvents used · CPC title

• C07D307/50 Primary

  Preparation from natural products · CPC title