Patent ID: 8877985
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: C07C,C10G,C10L,Y02E,Y02P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A process of co-producing biofuels and glycols comprising: (i) providing a bio-based feedstock stream containing carbohydrates and water; (ii) contacting, in a first reaction system, the bio-based feedstock stream with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenolysis catalyst at a temperature in the range of 120° C. to 280° C. and 0.1 to 150 bar of hydrogen to produce a hydrogenolysis stream containing at least 5 wt %, based on the total oxygenates content, of glycols that comprises ethylene glycol (EG) and 1,2-propylene glycol (PG), and other monooxygenates; (iii) contacting, in a second reaction system, at least a first portion of said hydrogenolysis stream with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenolysis catalyst at a temperature in the range of 160° C. to 280° C. and in the presence of 0.1 to 150bar hydrogen to produce an oxygenated intermediate stream comprising at least 5 wt %, based on the total oxygenates, of monooxygenated hydrocarbons of chain length less than 6 carbons; (iv) processing at least a portion of the oxygenated intermediate stream to form a liquid fuel; (v) providing a second portion of said hydrogenolysis stream to a first separation system; (vi) separating a portion of said hydrogenolysis stream, in the first separation system, to a monooxygenates stream comprising monooxygenates and a glycol rich stream comprising at least 10 wt %, based on the total oxygenates, of glycols by flashing; and (vii) recovering glycols from the glycol rich stream.