초록 ▼

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 solid

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.

대표청구항 ▼

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 wit

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; andperforming 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. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the slurry catalyst is provided in the hydrothermal digestion unit before the cellulosic biomass solids are provided. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the cellulosic biomass solids takes place while the hydrothermal digestion unit is in a pressurized state. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the cellulosic biomass solids are continuously or semi-continuously provided to the hydrothermal digestion unit while the hydrothermal digestion unit is in the pressurized state. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the slurry catalyst takes place before forming the liquor phase comprising soluble carbohydrates. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the upwardly directed fluid flow comprises one or more upwardly directed fluid streams, the one or more upwardly directed fluid streams comprising a gas stream, a liquid stream, or any combination thereof. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gas stream comprises a stream of molecular hydrogen and the liquid stream comprises a stream of the digestion solvent. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digestion solvent comprises the reaction product. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the slurry catalyst is fluidly suspended in the digestion solvent by the upwardly directed fluid flow. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the slurry catalyst is transported through the cellulosic biomass solids by the upwardly directed fluid flow. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: circulating the slurry catalyst external to the hydrothermal digestion unit and returning the slurry catalyst thereto. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the slurry catalyst is returned to the bottom of the hydrothermal digestion unit. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the slurry catalyst is circulated at a velocity such that a concentration of the slurry catalyst in the liquor phase is substantially homogeneous. 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: forming cellulosic biomass fines within the liquor phase; andcirculating at least a portion of the cellulosic biomass fines external to the hydrothermal digestion unit. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transferring at least a portion of the liquor phase from the hydrothermal digestion unit; andperforming a second catalytic reduction reaction thereon so as to further form the reaction product. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: catalytic reforming the reaction product into a biofuel. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the slurry catalyst comprises a poison-tolerant catalyst. 18. 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;heating the cellulosic biomass solids in the hydrothermal digestion unit in the presence of molecular hydrogen while forcing the slurry catalyst to circulate through the cellulosic biomass solids in a digestion solvent, thereby forming a liquor phase comprising soluble carbohydrates; andperforming 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. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the slurry catalyst is provided in the hydrothermal digestion unit before the cellulosic biomass solids are provided. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein heating the cellulosic biomass solids takes place while the hydrothermal digestion unit is in a pressurized state. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the cellulosic biomass solids are continuously or semi-continuously provided to the hydrothermal digestion unit while the hydrothermal digestion unit is in the pressurized state. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the slurry catalyst is circulated through the cellulosic biomass solids using upwardly directed fluid flow in the hydrothermal digestion unit. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the upwardly directed fluid flow comprises one or more upwardly directed fluid streams, the one or more upwardly directed fluid streams comprising a stream of the digestion solvent. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more upwardly directed fluid streams comprises a stream of molecular hydrogen. 25. The method of claim 22, wherein the slurry catalyst is circulated external to the hydrothermal digestion unit and returned thereto. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the slurry catalyst is returned to the bottom of the hydrothermal digestion unit. 27. The method of claim 25, further comprising: forming cellulosic biomass fines within the liquor phase; andcirculating at least a portion of the cellulosic biomass fines external to the hydrothermal digestion unit. 28. The method of claim 22, wherein the slurry catalyst is circulated through the cellulosic biomass solids at a velocity such that a concentration of the slurry catalyst in the liquor phase is substantially homogeneous. 29. The method of claim 18, further comprising: transferring at least a portion of the liquor phase from the hydrothermal digestion unit; andperforming a second catalytic reduction reaction thereon so as to further form the reaction product. 30. The method of claim 18, further comprising: catalytic reforming the reaction product into a biofuel. 31. The method of claim 18, wherein the slurry catalyst comprises a poison-tolerant catalyst.