Converting a lipid feedstock to jet fuel

A jet fuel blend, comprising:

• a synthetic blending component having a generally normally distributed carbon number distribution ranging from C7-C18 with about 20-30 mass % n-paraffins, about 25-35 mass % i-paraffins, about 35-45 mass % cycloparaffins, and about 0-10% mass aromatics;
• and
• a second blending component,
• the jet fuel blend having a flash point of about 38° C. or more, a freeze point of about −40° C. or less, a viscosity at −20° C. of about 8 mm2/s or less, and a viscosity at −40° C. of about 12 mm2/s or less.

A jet fuel blend, comprising:

• a synthetic blending component made using operations comprising:
• flowing a lipid feedstock comprising fatty acid glycerol esters into a reaction vessel comprising a metal oxide catalyst on an oxide support;
• using the metal oxide catalyst in the reaction vessel to catalytically convert the lipid feedstock into a mixture comprising an intermediate composition having at least 70% of its oxygen within ketone groups;
• obtaining a synthetic blending component having a boiling range of about 120° C. to about 300° C. using operations comprising either (i) using fractionation to obtain a cut of the mixture and then saturating and hydrodeoxygenating the cut, or (ii) saturating and hydrodeoxygenating the mixture and then using fractionation to obtain a cut of the saturated, hydrodeoxygenated mixture;
• and
• a second blending component,
• the jet fuel blend having a flash point of about 38° C. or more, a freeze point of about −40° C. or less, a viscosity at −20° C. of about 8 mm2/s or less, and a viscosity at −40° C. of about 12 mm2/s or less.