Thermal conversion of biomass to valuable fuels, chemical feedstocks and chemicals

Patent · Mon Feb 23 23:00:00 EST 2009

OSTI ID:985871

Peters, William A ^[1]; Howard, Jack B ^[2]; Modestino, Anthony J ^[3]; Vogel, Fredreric ^[4]; Steffin, Carsten R ^[5]

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1. Lexington, MA
2. Winchester, MA
3. Hanson, MA
4. Villigen PSI, CH
5. Herne, DE

A continuous process for the conversion of biomass to form a chemical feedstock is described. The biomass and an exogenous metal oxide, preferably calcium oxide, or metal oxide precursor are continuously fed into a reaction chamber that is operated at a temperature of at least 1400.degree. C. to form reaction products including metal carbide. The metal oxide or metal oxide precursor is capable of forming a hydrolizable metal carbide. The reaction products are quenched to a temperature of 800.degree. C. or less. The resulting metal carbide is separated from the reaction products or, alternatively, when quenched with water, hydolyzed to provide a recoverable hydrocarbon gas feedstock.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-92PC92111
• Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
• Patent Number(s): 7,494,637
• Application Number: 09/858,861
• OSTI ID: 985871
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY