US 5,288,395 A · Production of high viscosity index lubricants

Abstract

Petroleum wax feeds are converted to high viscosity index lubricants by a two-step hydrocracking-hydroisomerization process in which the wax feed is initially subjected to hydrocracking under mild conditions with a conversion to non-lube range products of no more than about 40 weight percent of the feed. The hydrocracking is carried out at a hydrogen pressure of at least 1,000 psig (7,000 kPa) using an amorphous or mesoporous crystalline catalyst which preferentially removes the aromatic components present in the initial feed. The hydrocracked effluent is then subjected to hydroisomerization in a second step using a low acidity hydroisomerization catalyst which effects a preferential isomerization on the paraffin components to less waxy, high VI isoparaffins. The second stage, which is carried out at relatively low temperature, typically from 600.degree. to 650.degree. F. with a 650.degree. F.+ conversion in the range of 10 to 20 weight percent of the second stage feed but with high selectivity for isomerization of the paraffins, is carried out in the presence of a catalyst which contains a hydrogenation component, preferably a noble metal such as platinum, on a mesoporous support material. The mesoporous support material (for the first or second steps) comprises an inorganic, non-layered, porous, crystalline phase aluminosilicate material which exhibits a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25.degree. C. and which, in its preferred catalytic form, has a uniform, hexagonal arrangement of pores with diameters of at least about 13 .ANG. and exhibiting, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least on d-spacing greater than about 18 .ANG. and a hexagonal electron diffraction pattern that can be indexed with a d.sub.100 value greater than about 18 .ANG. which corresponds to at least one peak in the X-ray diffraction pattern.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A process for producing a high viscosity index lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 110 from a hydrocarbon feed of mineral oil origin having a wax content of at least 20 weight percent, which comprises:

(i) hydrocracking the feed over a bifunctional lube hydrocracking catalyst to hydrocrack aromatic components present in the feed at a severity which results in a conversion of not more than 50 weight percent of the feed to products boiling outside the lube boiling range;
(ii) isomerizing waxy paraffins present in the effluent from the hydrocracking step in the presence of an isomerization catalyst comprising a hydrogenation component on a porous support material comprising an inorganic, non-layered, porous, crystalline phase material which has an arriitgement of uniformly-sized pores with diameters of at least about 13 .ANG., and, after calcination, exhibits a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25.degree. C. and an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak having a relative intensity of 100 at a d-spacing greater than about 18 .ANG., to isomerize waxy paraffins to less waxy isoparaffins.

A process for producing a high viscosity index lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 140 from a petroleum wax feed having a wax content of at least 50 weight percent, which comprises

(i) hydrocracking the petroleum wax feed in a hydrocracking step in the presence of hydrogen at a pressure of at least 1,000 psig in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst comprising a metal hydrogenation component of at least one metal of Group VIIIA of the Periodic Table and at least one metal of Group VIA of the Periodic Table on support at a temperature of at least 650.degree. F. and at a severity which results in a conversion to 650.degree. F.- products of not more than 40 weight percent based on the petroleum wax feed,
(ii) hydroisomerizing the product of the hydrocracking step in the presence of hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of at least 1,000 psig at a temperature from 550.degree. to 700.degree. F. and in the presence of a paraffin isomerization catalyst comprising a noble metal hydrogenation component on a support comprising an inorganic, non-layered, porous, crystalline phase aluminosilicate material having a uniform, hexagonal arrangement of pores with diameters of at least about 13 .ANG. and exhibiting, after calcination, a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25.degree. C., an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak having a relative intensity of 100 at a d-spacing greater than about 18 .ANG. and a hexagonal electron diffraction pattern that can be indexed with a d.sub.100 value greater than about 18 .ANG., to isomerize waxy paraffins to less waxy isoparaffins and form a lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 140.

A process for producing a high viscosity index lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 140 from a petroleum wax feed having a wax content of at least 50 weight percent, which comprises:

(i) hydrocracking the petroleum wax feed in a hydrocracking step in the presence of hydrogen at a pressure of at least 1,000 psig in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst comprising a metal hydrogenation component of at least one metal of Group VIIIA of the Periodic Table and at least une metal of Group VIA of the Periodic Table on an amorphous, porous alumina support in the presence of a halogen promoter at a temperature of at least 650.degree. F. and at a severity which results in a conversion to 650.degree. F.- products of not more than 30 weight percent based on the petroleum wax feed,
(ii) hydroisomerizing the product of the hydrocracking step in the presence of hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of at least 1,000 psig, at a temperature from 600.degree. to 685.degree. F. and in the presence of a paraffin isomerization catalyst comprising a noble metal hydrogenation component on a support comprising an inorganic, non-layered, porous, crystalline phase aluminosilicate material which exhibits a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25.degree. C. and which has a uniform, hexagonal arrangement of pores with diameters of at least about 13 .ANG. and exhibiting, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak having a relative intensity of 100 at a d-spacing greater than about 18 .ANG. and a hexagonal electron diffraction pattern that can be indexed with a d.sub.100 value greater than about 18 .ANG. which corresponds to the d-spacing of at least one peak in the X-ray diffraction pattern, to isomerize waxy paraffins to less waxy isoparaffins and form a lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 140.

A process for producing a high viscosity index lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 140 from a petroleum wax feed having a wax content of at least 50 weight percent, which comprises:

(i) hydrocracking the petroleum wax feed in a hydrocracking step in the presence of hydrogen at a pressure of at least 1,000 psig in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst comprising a metal hydrogenation component of at least one metal of Group VIIIA of the Periodic Table and at least one metal of Group VIA of the Periodic Table on a crystalline support material in the presence of a halogen promoter at a temperature of at least 650.degree. F. and at a severity which results in a conversion to 650.degree. F.- products of not more than 40 weight percent based on the petroleum wax feed, the crystalline support material comprising an inorganic, non-layered, porous, crystalline phase aluminosilicate material which exhibits a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25.degree. C. and which has a uniform, hexagonal arrangement of pores with diameters of at least about 13 .ANG. and exhibiting, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak having a relative intensity of 100 at a d-spacing greater than about 18 .ANG. and a hexagonal electron diffraction pattern that can be indexed with a d.sub.100 value greater than about 18 .ANG. which corresponds to the d-spacing of at least one peak in the X-ray diffraction pattern,
(ii) hydroisomerizing the product of the hydrocracking step in the presence of hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of at least 1,000 psig at a temperature from 600.degree. to 685.degree. F. and in the presence of a paraffin isomerization catalyst comprising a noble metal hydrogenation component on a support comprising an inorganic, non-layered, porous, crystalline phase aluminosilicate material which exhibits a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25.degree. C. and which has a uniform, hexagonal arrangement of pores with diameters of at least about 13 .ANG. and exhibiting, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak having a relative intensity of 100 at a d-spacing greater than about 18 .ANG. and a hexagonal electron diffraction pattern that can be indexed with a d.sub.100 value greater than about 18 .ANG. which corresponds to the d-spacing of at least one peak in the X-ray diffraction pattern, to isomerize waxy paraffins to less waxy isoparaffins and form a lubricant having a viscosity index of at least 140.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Production of high viscosity index lubricants

Life of this patent

Production of high viscosity index lubricants

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40