Product liquids upgrading

The stages of coal conversion to final products are referred to as the primary stage, in which coal is converted to primary liquid (soluble) products in two steps and a secondary or final stage in which the primary products are upgraded to the final distillate products. 

Bridgwater, A. V. and Cottam, M. L., Opportunities for biomass pyrolysis liquids production and upgrading. Energy Fuels 1992, 6 (2), 113-120. 

It would seem that a more practical approach to the upgrading of pyrolytic liquids from biomass is to utilize what is already on hand, namely, the oxygenated product liquids. Instead of conversion to hydrocarbons, which usually requires severe reaction conditions, why not convert the liquids by simple chemistry to other liquids that are suitable for use as motor fuels or additives Although not directly related to pyrolysis, this approach has been pursued in... 

Rick, F. Vix, U. (1990). Product standards for pyrolysis products for use as fuel in industrial firing plants. In Bridgwater, A. Grassi, G. (eds.). Biomass pyrolysis liquids upgrading and utilisation. Barking Elsevier Applied Science. Pp. 177-218. 

Bridgwater AV and Cottam ML, "Costs and Opportunities for Biomass Pyrolysis Liquids Production and Upgrading", Proc 6th conference on Biomass for Energy, Industry and the Environment, Athens, (April 1991). 

The production of aluminum begins with the mining and beneficiation of bauxite. At the mine (usually of the surface type), bauxite ore is removed to a crusher. The crushed ore is then screened and stockpiled, ready for delivery to an alumina plant. In some cases, ore is upgraded by beneficiation (washing, size classification, and separation of liquids and solids) to remove unwanted materials such as clay and silica. 

The liquid products were distilled to determine the yield and properties of the residual (343°C+) and light liquid (343°C ) products. Table VI shows that Runs 2 and 3 in Table IV resulted in 27 and 34 wt.% conversion of the 343°C+ fraction, while the sulfur in this fraction was reduced to 0.25 and 0.18 wt.%, respectively. The distillate and light liquid product (343°C ) are also upgraded in this process. The additional light distillates produced could presumably be recycled to the liquefaction reactor or utilized as low sulfur light distillate fuel. 

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