Methods for fractionation of lubricant feeds
OwnerFengrong Chen, Zalina Abd Rahmaninventors
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for the fractionation of lubricant feeds. A lubricant feed can be introduced into a vacuum distillation tower having a reduced pressure and a reduced or minimized water vapor partial pressure. The lubricant feed can be separated into a plurality of lubricant boiling range products. The can allow an overlap in boiling ranges of one or more products separated from the lubricant feed to be reduced or minimized.
Claims20
A method for the fractionation of a lubricant boiling range feed, comprising:
- introducing a lubricant boiling range feed into a flash zone of a distillation tower, the distillation tower having a pressure of 3.5 kPa-a or less and a water vapor partial pressure of 0.5 kPa-a or less;
- and
- separating the lubricant boiling range feed into at least a first lubricant boiling range product and a second lubricant boiling range product, wherein the first lubricant boiling range product has a T95 boiling point that is greater than a T5 boiling point of the second lubricant boiling range product by 14° C. or less, and wherein a T95 boiling point of the second lubricant boiling range product is greater than the T95 boiling point of the first lubricant boiling range product.
A system for the fractionation of a lubricant boiling range feed, comprising a distillation tower having a pressure of 3.5 kPa-a or less and a water vapor partial pressure of 0.5 kPa-a or less, the distillation tower having a lubricant boiling range feed therein, the lubricant boiling range feed having a viscosity index (VI) of at least 50;
- at least one stripper in fluid communication with the distillation tower;
- and
- at least one reboiler loop in fluid communication with the stripper, wherein the distillation tower comprises a plurality of fractionation outlets for removing fractions from the distillation tower.
A plurality of lubricant boiling range products, comprising:
- first and second lubricant boiling range products formed by the fractionation of a hydroprocessed and/or solvent processed lubricant boiling range feed in a distillation tower,
- wherein the first lubricant boiling range product has a T95 boiling point that is greater than a T5 boiling point of the second lubricant boiling range product by 14° C. or less, and wherein a T95 boiling point of the second lubricant boiling range product is greater than the T95 boiling point of the first lubricant boiling range product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.