Lubricant production process
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorsNai Y. Chen, Randall D. Partridge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hydrocarbon lubricants having a high viscosity index (V.I.) and low pour point are produced by hydroisomerizing a waxy lube feed such as slack wax or a waxy gas oil over zeolite beta after which aromatic components are removed by extraction, e.g. with furfural. The raffinate is then dewaxed, preferably by solvent dewaxing to target pour point with a final hydrofinishing step. The hydroisomerization coupled with the aromatics extraction and dewaxing increases the range of crudes that can be processed into high V.I. lubes while maintaining equivalent product qualities. Hydrogen consumption in the process is relatively low.
Claims14
A process for producing a hydrocarbon lubricant, which comprises:
- (i) hydroisomerizing a waxy lube feed by contact in the presence of hydrogen with a zeolite beta hydroisomerization catalyst,
- (ii) extracting aromatics from the hydroisomerized feed with a solvent which is selective for aromatics,
- (iii) dewaxing the extracted, hydroisomerized feed to lower its pour point and form a dewaxed lube product,
- (iv) hydrofinishing the dewaxed product.
A process for producing a low sulfur aromatic fraction and a hydrocarbon lubricant, which comprises:
- (i) hydroisomerizing a waxy lube feed by contact in the presence of hydrogen with a zeolite beta hydroisomerization catalyst,
- (ii) extracting aromatics from the hydroisomerized feed with a solvent which is selective for aromatics,
- (iii) separating the extracted aromatic components from the solvent to form a low sulfur aromatic product,
- (iv) dewaxing the extracted, hydroisomerized feed, to lower its pour point and form a dewaxed lube product,
- (iv) hydrofinishing the dewaxed lube product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.