Wax and lube base stock products using shape selective membrane separation

A process for separating paraffins in a hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream comprising the steps of:

• providing a hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream comprising paraffins, aromatics and/or other multi-ring hydrocarbon compounds;
• contacting the hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream with a molecular sieve membrane;
• and
• separating the paraffins to provide a wax product feed stream, and a stream of fuel or lube by-products, wherein solvent is not used in the separation process,
• wherein the molecular sieve membrane comprises:
• one or more layers of size-selective catalyst wherein the size-selective catalyst comprises a crystal structure of ZSM48 and/or mordenite, wherein each layer of size-selective catalyst has a plurality of perpendicular membrane channels and a plurality of opening pores, and wherein the perpendicular membrane channels are perpendicular to a direction of flow of the hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream, and
• wherein the plurality of perpendicular membrane channels is in fluidic communication with the plurality of opening pores;
• and a porous support comprising a plurality of diffusing gaps, wherein the porous support is in fluidic communication with the plurality of opening pores providing a fluidic pathway between the perpendicular membrane channels and the diffusing gaps, and the molecular sieve membrane is configured for cross-flow of the hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream over the molecular sieve membrane causing a continuous flow of a permeate comprising the wax product feed stream into the perpendicular membrane channels through the plurality of opening pores into and out of the diffusing gaps of the porous support.