Process for producing white alkanes from non-petroleum renewable sources

Abstract

Methods for producing high purity hydrocarbon materials from renewable sources are described. The materials produced are chemically indistinguishable from highly refined mineral oils and / or synthetic hydrocarbons. These renewable hydrocarbon materials can be used as a direct replacement of mineral and synthetic hydrocarbon base oils, process fluids such as white oils in lubricants, rubber, personal care, pharmaceutical products.

Description

[0001] This application is based upon and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 310,454 filed on February 15, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference. Background of the Invention Technical Field

[0003] Applicants' invention relates to a process for producing renewable hydrocarbon fluids having properties similar to white oils but derived from non-petroleum sources. Further, Applicants' invention relates to purified fluids obtained from said process. Background Art

[0004] The American Petroleum Institute ("API") has classified base oils into five (5) categories or groups - Group IV (API 1509, Appendix E). Base oils are often used as lubricants, which often have various additives mixed with the base oil. If a base oil is classified as a Group I-III, then the base oil will primarily contain crude oil that has been processed. Generally speaking, any oil-based lubricant will contain 80-99% base oil. In contrast, Groups IV and V are not directly derived from crude oil.

[0005] Several physical properties are used to describe the characteristics of base oils. "Viscosity" is a measure of the base oil's resistance to deformation at a given flow rate. Viscosity is usually measured in centistokes (cSt) or other units such as Saybolt units. Viscosity can be used to define base oil grades and is determined by various methods, such as gravity flow capillary viscometers. The "viscosity index" ("VI") relates to how much viscosity changes with temperature - how much it thins at higher temperatures and how much it thickens at lower temperatures, and is determined by the change in viscosity between 40°C and 100°C. "Specific gravity" defines the density of the oil relative to water and is measured by a hydrometer. The "flash point" of a base oil describes its high temperature, flammability, and is the temperature at which a flash fire surface flame occurs. Finally, the "pour point" defines the lowest temperature at which the oil is observed to flow due to gravity in a specified laboratory test. Specifically, the pour point is 3 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) above the temperature at which the oil does not show movement when a laboratory sample container is placed horizontally for 5 seconds.

[0006] Group I base oils are refined from petroleum crude oils, but are at least refined base oils. Group I base oils are solvent refined, which is a simpler refining method, and Group I base oils are usually amber to golden brown in color because of the residual sulfur, nitrogen and ring structure in the oil. The two main characteristics of Group I base oils are that they contain one or both of the following: less than 90% saturates and / or greater than 0.03% sulfur. The VI range of Group I base oils is 80 to 120.

[0007] Group II base oils are defined as being greater than 90% inclusion complexes and less than 0.03% sulfur. They are produced by replacing traditional solvent refining with a hydrotreating process, which is a more complicated method than the method used by group I base oils. Undesirable components are removed from crude oil using hydrogen. This has obtained a clarified and colorless base oil, which is more clarified than group I base oils, wherein sulfur, nitrogen or ring structures are very few. All hydrocarbon molecules of group II base oils are saturated, giving them better antioxidant properties. The VI index range of group II base oils is 80 to 120, but typically more than 100.

[0008] Group III base oils are greater than 90% saturates, less than 0.03% sulfur. These oils use hydrogen methods to treat (clean up) crude oil, further than Group II base oils, and are generally severely hydrocracking (higher temperature and heat). This longer method is designed to achieve a purer base oil. The resulting base oil is clear and colorless. Compared with Group I base oils, Group III base oils are more tolerant to oxidation. The VI index of Group III base oils is more than 120. Group III base oils are considered to be mineral oils by many technicians because they are directly derived from the refining of crude oil. However, for market purposes, they are considered to be synthetic base oils by others because it is believed that more stringent hydrogen methods (hydrogen process) produce new chemical oil structures that did not exist before the method.

[0009] Group IV base oils are fully synthetic (polyalphaolefin) oils. Polyalphaolefins ("PAO") are made by a process called synthesis, which uses pure chemicals produced in chemical plants, rather than by distillation and refining of crude oil. They have a wider temperature range and are good for use in extreme cold conditions and high heat applications. The VI of PAO is greater than 120.

[0010] Group V base oils are classified as all other base oils that are not classified as belonging to Groups I-IV. These base oils are sometimes mixed with other base stocks to enhance the properties of the oil. Common Group V base oils include: naphthenic base oils, various synthetic esters, polyalkylene glycols (PAGs), phosphate esters, silicones, phosphate esters, polyol esters, biolubes and various other chemicals all belong to this group.

[0011] The terms base stock and base oil are often used interchangeably, but there are differences. A base stock is a single product, usually defined by its viscosity grade. A mixture of one or more base stocks is a base oil in a finished lubricant. Base oil is always defined in the context of a formulated lubricant. Base oil properties can vary depending on its API group.

[0012] Mineral oil can also be obtained as a distillation product of highly refined, purified, distilled and processed petroleum. It is an inert, chemically stable compound. Mineral oil is known by the terms "liquid paraffin (paraffinum perliquidum)" (for light mineral oil) and "liquid paraffin (paraffinum liquidum)" or "paraffin subliquid (paraffinum subliquidum)" (for more viscous species to a certain extent). Various mineral oils are combinations of paraffin, cycloalkanes and aromatic oils, and they are clear, colorless, oily, almost odorless, water-insoluble liquids, typically standard light density (light mineral oil) or standard heavy density (heavy mineral oil). Mineral oil is an inert, stable compound, commonly used as the ingredient used in baby lotion, cold cream (coldcream), ointment (ointment), lubricant, cosmetics, moisturizer, laxative (laxative) and many other cosmetics and personal care products. Mineral oil is also used to make some basic foods. It is used as a binding agent, but can also be applied to grains (such as wheat, rice, oats and barley) to help keep dust from sticking to the product. Mineral oil is also an ingredient in some types of gummy candy to prevent them from sticking together.

[0013] White oil is a mineral oil which is colorless, odorless, tasteless and is used in particular in medicine and in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations. White mineral oil is a highly refined petroleum mineral oil. White mineral oil consists mostly of saturated hydrocarbons. Different purification methods are applied: hydrogenation of petroleum products, hydroisomerization, or treatment with sulfur trioxide, sulfuric acid, or oleum, or a combination of the above. White mineral oil is used in many applications in personal care, pharmaceuticals, food industry (including lubricants), and many other applications where a non-toxic oil with low biological activity and high stability is required.

[0014] White oil consists of a complex combination of hydrocarbons obtained by intensive treatment of petroleum fractions with sulfuric acid and oleum, or by a combination of hydrogenation and acid treatment. Additional washing and treatment steps may be included in the processing operation. It consists of saturated hydrocarbons, with carbon numbers mainly in the C15 to C50 range. The term "white oil" is a misnomer, because white oils are transparent and tend to be water-white (Saybolt color +30) and meet the guidelines established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 21CFR 172.878 and 21CFR 178.3620(a). They meet the purity requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia (EuP), the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), and the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP). In addition, they meet the purity requirements of the BP, DAB, or former monographs of the French Code. Typical properties of white oils include: density, 810–890 kg / m at 20°C 3 (Using the standard test for density ASTM D-1298), viscosity, 3–240 cSt at 40°C (using the standard test for viscosity ASTM D-445), pour point, -18–+3°C (using the standard test for pour point ASTM D-97), flash point 115–290°C (using the standard test for flash point ASTM D-92). (Other standards and tests also exist for these properties).

[0015] Conventional methods using renewable materials cannot "drop-in" replace mineral oils and synthetic PAO oils and produce inferior quality products, and are therefore only suitable for limited applications. Today, renewable-based substitutes for petroleum base oils, process fluids and white oils are often based on vegetable oils or chemically modified products derived from vegetable oils (e.g., diesters and polyol esters). These products have reactive ester groups that negatively affect the properties of the final product. Therefore, in conventional lubrication and other industrial applications, these materials generally cannot provide the same performance as mineral oils. Summary of the invention

[0016] The present invention includes a process for producing hydrocarbon materials from renewable sources other than petroleum (or crude oil) sources and meeting all or part of the technical requirements of white mineral oil specifications (European (EuP), United States (USP), Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP), BP, DAB or French Codex former monographs). The present invention also includes the use of the process to produce the resulting material. The resulting material is called white alkane, which is generally liquid (some products are waxy) and has the characteristics of white oil.

[0017] As used herein, "White Alkanes" are the resulting products after subjecting a renewable source to the process, wherein the white alkanes are inert and have all or part of the following: specified feed material, carbon chain with a given carbon molecular number range, viscosity within a given range, UV absorption, aromatic compounds, color, readily carbonizable material, increased pour point, improved flash point, clear (or generally transparent) appearance, specific gravity / relative density, acidity / alkalinity, and little or no residual sulfur compounds, wherein the ranges and requirements are further described herein.

[0018] The resulting white alkanes are derived from polymerized vegetable oils, or dimer fatty acids, or similar materials containing hydrocarbon chains in the C12-C100 range, for use in a variety of applications including personal care products and lubricants. The process economically produces high purity renewable base oils or hydrocarbons on a large scale.

[0019] Conventionally, feed materials as renewable alternatives to petroleum base oils, process fluids and white oils are often based on vegetable oils or chemically modified products derived from vegetable oils (e.g., diesters and polyol esters). These products have relatively high reactivity, which negatively affects the properties of the final product.

[0020] It is expected that the process of the present invention efficiently produces higher purity hydrocarbons from renewable feed materials compared to other processes of renewable hydrocarbon production.The hydrocarbon material product (white alkanes) of the present invention will have hydrocarbons possessing most or all of the properties of white mineral oils.

[0021] As used herein, "renewable" (also referred to as "renewable source" or "renewable carbon") may include polymerized vegetable oils, polymerized fatty acids, polymerized fatty acid esters, or mixtures thereof. The renewable carbon in the feed material may be partially selected from: polymerized vegetable oils, polymerized fatty acids, polymerized fatty acid esters, or mixtures thereof. Vegetable oils are typically triglycerides (glycerides), which are esters of glycerol and various acids called fatty acids, the fatty acids having carbon chain lengths of C12-C24 and having additional functional groups, such as double bonds or hydroxyl groups (as in castor oil). Vegetable oils are produced from oilseed crops or fruits, such as olives or palms, palm kernels, and coconuts. Alternatively, the feed material is: a naturally occurring oil or a material containing 50% or more unsaturated fatty acid components, the unsaturated fatty acid components including monounsaturated, diunsaturated and triunsaturated hydrocarbon chains, most of which fatty acids are in the C16-C22 range. Generally speaking, however, "renewables" or "renewable sources" or "renewable carbon" include all sources of carbon that do not use fossil carbon from the geosphere. Fossil carbon is generally petroleum - or coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Fossil carbon generally comes from decomposing plants and animals and is found in the Earth's crust and is therefore from the geosphere. In contrast, renewable carbon comes from the biosphere, atmosphere, or technosphere - not from the geosphere.

[0022] In one embodiment of the invention, a vegetable oil containing short chain length, unsaturated fatty acid chains is polymerized. The polymerization can be carried out by heat treatment in the presence or absence of oxygen (O2) or air, and with or without a catalyst. The source can be a triglyceride and fatty acid component selected from one or more of natural sources such as soybean, rapeseed, castor, corn, cottonseed, crambe, linseed, olive, peanut, rapeseed, safflower, sunflower, tall oil, fatty acids, coconut, palm; oils derived from seeds, pulp, beans, legumes, husks, kernels, or any part of the oil-bearing part of the desired plant; animal fats or fish oils, or mixtures thereof. These oils contain 50% or more unsaturated fatty acid components, including monounsaturated, diunsaturated, and triunsaturated hydrocarbon chains, most of which are in the C16-C22 range (C18 is typical for vegetable oils), which is desirable for most applications, and the final product carbon chain is generally greater than C12, or C18, or C30, or C60 up to C100, which is the target range after product processing.

[0023] Other naturally occurring oils or materials that generally contain unsaturated carbon chains can also be used. Feed materials containing high levels of saturated hydrocarbon chains will provide lower yields of hydrocarbons that can be used as base oils, white oils, and process fluids, which will produce higher amounts of renewable diesel. For example, animal fats, coconut oil, and palm oil containing high saturation levels will produce high amounts of renewable diesel fuel during the process.

[0024] The polymerized vegetable oil is hydrodecarboxylated, and / or hydrodeoxygenated which results in hydrocarbons suitable for use in the production of lubricants, or in the formulation of personal care products, or as process oils.

[0025] The polymerized fatty acids and fatty acid esters may also be used as feed in the hydrodecarboxylation and / or hydrodeoxygenation steps.

[0026] As an example, heat or heat and a catalyst are used to convert a process flow using vegetable oil from a vegetable oil flow to a polymerized vegetable oil. Subsequently, the product of the first step is hydrogenated and processed using different techniques to produce hydrocarbon materials, propane and water. The hydrocarbons may or may not contain saturated carbocyclic rings.

[0027] The resulting material, white alkanes, is of white oil quality. It is generally produced from 50%-100% renewable carbon and hydrocarbon-based materials, but to produce higher quality products, it is preferred to use 80%-100% renewable carbon and hydrocarbon-based materials. According to ISO 16128, white alkanes have the same inert hydrocarbon benefits as mineral oils and are derived from natural ingredients.

[0028] The viscosity of the obtained material white alkane is in the range of 2cSt to 60cSt and higher (at 40°C). The preferred viscosity is 12cSt-70SUS, 16cSt-90SUS, 40cSt-209SUS, or 60+cSt-350+SUS. Where cSt (centistokes) is a unit of measure for viscosity, which is 1 square millimeter / second (1cSt = 1mm 2 / s). Although SUS (Saybolt Universal Seconds) represents the time, expressed in seconds, for 60 milliliters (mL) of oil to flow through a standard orifice at a given temperature, cSt and SUS viscosity units can be converted between each other.

[0029] The renewable hydrocarbons produced will be used in applications requiring renewable content such as:

[0030] a. Personal care products and medicines;

[0031] b. Lubricant;

[0032] c. Process fluid;

[0033] d. White oil;

[0034] e. Components of agricultural products (such as pesticides and spray oils); and

[0035] f. Any other use that may require hydrocarbon materials.

[0036] Unlike esterified fatty acids or purified vegetable oils, the proposed process produces a "drop-in" hydrocarbon material, and a product that is of the same or better quality than mineral oil, white oil or PAO.

[0037] The feed material is selected to have as high a content of polymerized hydrocarbon chains as possible. In the process, it is desirable that the hydrogen pressure is 500-4000 psi, and the temperature is 400°F-800°F, and the LHSV of the hydrogenation process is 0.5-5 1 / h (LHSV is the liquid hourly space velocity, which is the ratio of the liquid volume flow rate per hour to the catalyst volume. The LHSV of a system with a flow rate of 2 cu m / h and 1 cu m of catalyst will be 2). Further, the catalyst composition of the hydrogenation should be Ni, Mo / Al2O3, or Ni, Co / Al2O3, Ni / Al2O3, or other metals on a catalyst support.

[0038] Hydrogenation can be performed in several steps, starting with milder conditions in order to reduce cracking reactions and increase the production of hydrocarbons with target hydrocarbon chains (C18 and higher). For example, the feed can be first treated at 20-4000 psi and a temperature of 200°F-800°F and a LHSV of 0.5-5 1 / h.

[0039] If an acid dimer is used, dilution may be required in order to reduce the acid number of the feed, and esterification or other chemical treatment of the dimer may be beneficial to reduce the acid number and increase catalyst stability. The material produced will be a hydrocarbon, which may or may not contain saturated rings and trace aromatics, and the carbon atom range should be C12 to C100. More likely embodiments will use C10 to C50, with C15 to C40 being the most common. The resulting material is further purified by various methods to remove any aromatics, unreacted oxygenated hydrocarbons, and produce white alkanes of the desired quality.

[0040] White alkanes are white oil quality materials and meet some or all of the following requirements: UV absorption, aromaticity, color, easily carbonized material, and other white oil requirements. The percentage of renewable carbon in the white alkanes is between 50%-100%, although more desirably between 80%-100%, and preferably between 90%-100%. The starting feed is a selected source having a C12-C100 carbon chain with a significant portion of the HC chains in the C20 to C36 range.

[0041] In a considerable number of embodiments of the described methods, the following steps are unnecessary: ​​ketonization step, isomerization step, post-polymerization transesterification step, post-polymerization transesterification step of any polymerized vegetable oil, and / or hydroisomerization step. The polymerization of the feed material is accomplished using heat, or a catalyst, or both, prior to hydrodecarboxylating the feed material and prior to hydrodeoxygenating the feed material.

[0042] The following generally do not contain hydrocarbon chains longer than C22 and are of no benefit to the process: raw materials from the biosphere, such as vegetable fats, vegetable oils, vegetable waxes, animal fats, animal oils, animal waxes, fish fats, fish oils, fish waxes, free fatty acids or fatty acids obtained by hydrolysis thereof, esters obtained by transesterification thereof, fatty acid alkyl esters obtained by esterification of alcohols with fatty acids, fatty acid metal salts obtained by saponification, alcohols and aldehydes obtained as products of their reduction or hydrogenolysis, fatty alcohols obtained from waxes of biological origin by hydrolysis, transesterification and pyrolysis, fatty acid anhydrides therefrom, and waste and recycled food-grade fats and oils.

[0043] In a considerable number of embodiments of the process, glycerol is not produced and therefore separation is not necessary. Similarly, the intermediate product of the present process does not have an iodine value of 25 to 110 and a liquid fraction is not separated from the intermediate product of the present process.

[0044] Thus, the production of hydrocarbon materials using renewable carbon as a feed material includes selecting a feed material (which can come from a variety of sources as described herein). The feed material is generally already polymerized, but if it is unpolymerized, it can be polymerized as part of the process. Subsequently, the feed material is subjected to hydroprocessing, which is a two-part step comprising hydrodecarboxylating and hydrodeoxygenating the feed material. These two (2) steps can result in a first intermediate.

[0045] The first intermediate may contain a mixture of molecules or chemicals, and in some cases, the first intermediate may have characteristics sufficient to be classified as a white alkane. The first intermediate may be subjected to a separation step, wherein the components, or one or more of the different molecules in the first intermediate may be separated from the remainder to produce a second intermediate. Typical components separated and removed from the first intermediate or the second intermediate may include: waxes, linear alkanes, and / or light boiling alkanes. Several separation techniques may be used on the first intermediate, including any one or more of the following: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping. As an example, a solvent dewaxing process may be used to remove wax from oil in order to provide the product with good flow properties at low temperatures.

[0046] In some cases, the second intermediate may have characteristics sufficient to be classified as a white alkane. The first intermediate or the second intermediate may also be subjected to a purification step in which impurities are removed. The purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration.

[0047] It should be noted that white alkanes can be produced after hydroprocessing, or after domestic processing and separation or purification, or after all three (3) steps (hydroprocessing, separation, and purification) have been completed. In addition, the separation and purification steps can be completed in any order. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Figure 1 The method of the present invention is shown.

[0049] Figure 2 is a table illustrating selected properties of the variants of the white alkanes.

[0050] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a process for producing white alkanes.

[0051] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the process for producing white alkanes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] With reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1The steps applicable in the present invention are described. 1. It is necessary to polymerize the biodiesel of refined vegetable oil. Already polymerized material can also be used. 2. The initial hydrodeoxygenation step produces a mixture of hydrocarbons, typical conditions can be: hydrogen pressure 500-4000psi, and temperature 400°F-800°F, and LHSV of the hydrogenation process is 0.5-5 1 / h (on NiMo, CoMo, Ni, Co or other metal catalyst supported on alumina, silica, silica-alumina or zeolite support). 3. If necessary, the hydrocarbons produced in the second step can be separated by distillation or solvent dewaxing. This step can produce hydrocarbons of different viscosities and cold temperature properties. If a higher viscosity product is desired, a fraction with an atmospheric boiling point of up to 450°C or more can be separated. Here, separation of low molecular weight linear alkanes in the C15-C18 range by distillation is also used to improve the pour point of the resulting product. Solvent dewaxing is an alternative method for removing waxy alkanes, improving cold temperature properties, and increasing the viscosity of the final product. 4. In the product purification step, hydrofinishing is used, typically operating at 400°F–700°F, 2000-7000 psi, 1.0 LHSV. Typically, nickel catalysts or noble metals (e.g., Pt, Pd), zeolite-supported catalysts supported on silica, alumina, silica-alumina are used. This step is desirable in order to remove aromatic and heteroatom organic compounds (typically oxygenated aromatic compounds). This product purification step can also be performed by applying SO3, oleum, or a sulfuric acid wash process. 5. If desired, use bauxite filtration as a final purification step.

[0053] The present invention uses a feed selection step. The feed selection step comprises: selecting a natural component product or feed containing a hydrocarbon chain with a length of C10-C100. This can also be divided into more different groups, where the feed contains a hydrocarbon chain with a length of at least one of: C10 to C20, C20 to C30, C30 to C50, C50 to C70, C70 to C100. Generally speaking, if a higher viscosity product is desired, the feed material should contain longer hydrocarbon chains. The feed can be selected from one or a combination of the following to produce an intermediate product: polymerized vegetable oil, polymerized vegetable oil, polymerized fatty acid, and polymerized fatty acid ester.

[0054] The intermediate product is treated with an initial hydrogenation step. In the initial hydrogenation step, unsaturated C=C bonds are saturated by reaction with hydrogen, and oxygen atoms are converted into water by reaction with hydrogen. As part of the initial hydrogenation step, carbonyl groups present in the feedstock (carbonyl groups are composed of carbon atoms double-bonded to oxygen atoms: C=O) can also be converted into CO2. The carbon atoms bonded to oxygen are saturated with hydrogen. Hydrocracking the intermediate product into smaller molecules can be part of the initial hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation / decarboxylation steps. The initial hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation / decarboxylation steps are one process.

[0055] Hydrocracking is a process by which the hydrocarbon molecules of petroleum are broken down into simpler molecules by the addition of hydrogen under high pressure and in the presence of a catalyst.

[0056] By controlling the selectivity for hydrocracking, the molecular distribution and viscosity of the resulting product are controlled. The initial hydrogenation can be carried out in two steps or on a layered catalyst bed to control the rate of hydrocracking. The layered catalyst bed consists of multiple catalysts or reactors connected in series.

[0057] An isomerization step may be applied in order to improve the pour point of the product obtained in the initial hydrogenation step.

[0058] After the initial hydrogenation, a product separation step may occur and the mixture of products may be separated by solvent dewaxing. Solvent dewaxing separates waxy n-paraffins from liquid isoparaffins and cyclic paraffins. Solvent dewaxing improves the product pour point of the white wax. Solvent dewaxing also removes light n-paraffins and increases the viscosity of white paraffins, as well as increasing the flash point of white paraffins. The light fraction may be removed by gas stripping, which also improves the flash point, pour point, and increases viscosity.

[0059] The product may be subjected to a fractionation step in which the product is split (distilled) in order to separate products of different viscosity ranges. Separation of low molecular weight linear alkanes (typically C15-C18 range) by distillation is also used in order to improve the pour point of the resulting product.

[0060] Following the initial hydroprocessing step or product separation step is a second stage purification step in which the intermediate product is subjected to additional purification by hydrofinishing. This second stage purification helps produce white alkanes of white oil quality. The second stage purification step can be completed by treatment. The treatment can consist of at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, or sulfuric acid washing.

[0061] Finally, in a filtration step, the product can be filtered through bauxite, palygorskite mineral, bentonite clay, kaolin, activated carbon, or subjected to clay-gel extraction to remove trace impurities. The filtration step can also improve the appearance and clarity of the white alkanes.

[0062] Figure 2 is a table illustrating selected properties of the variants of the white alkanes. In the table, WA stands for "white alkanes". White alkanes are renewable hydrocarbons. The viscosity range of the white alkane product should meet the following, but is not limited to the following:

[0063] a. USP for mineral oil <911> :34.5–150.0cSt;

[0064] b. Light mineral oil: 3.0–34.4 cSt;

[0065] c. European Pharmacopoeia Ph.EUR.<2.2.9>: Liquid paraffin (P.Liquidium): 110–230 mPa-s (milliPascal-seconds) (dynamic viscosity is the resistance to the movement of one layer of fluid over another layer of fluid and can be measured using Pascal-seconds); and

[0066] d. Paraffin subliquid (P.Subliquidium): 25–80mPa-s.

[0067] Other properties of white alkanes include (but not limited to): meet the USP / NF <841> The acidity / alkalinity of white alkanes should meet the requirements of the United States Pharmacopoeia USP / National Standard (NF) <m02>and European Pharmacopoeia Ph.Eur. <m01>White alkanes have no or almost no residual sulfur compounds and meet the requirements of the United States Pharmacopoeia and FDA USP / NF <m04>The white alkanes also meet the requirements for ultraviolet (UV) absorption and Saybolt color found in 21 CFR 178.3620 (and for Saybolt color, meet the requirements of the FDA test according to ASTM D156).

[0068] Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary production method of white alkanes. The final product, or white alkanes, is the result of the process of the present invention. The white alkanes are hydrocarbons with a renewable carbon content between 50% to 100% and contain naphthenic and paraffinic carbons in a desired ratio. The white alkanes are similar in quality to white oils and meet the quality level requirements set for white mineral oils according to the USP / NF compendium, the US Food and Drug Administration CFR, and the European Pharmacopoeia monograph. Some grades may not meet the solid paraffin requirements because they may not be important for all applications. However, white alkanes meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food additives according to 21CFR 172.878.

[0069] Byproducts of the process may include wax n-paraffin C12-C100, propane or methane or ethane with a renewable carbon content of 0 to 100%, or diesel or gasoline with a renewable carbon content of 50-100%.

[0070] When the term "substantially", "approximately", "about" or "generally" is used herein to modify a numerical value, a numerical range or a listed numerical value, the term modifies each number. Unless otherwise specified, all numbers used in this specification and related claims to represent quantities, units, percentages, etc. should be understood to be modified by the terms "approximately", "about" and "generally" in all cases. As used herein, the term "approximately" covers + / -5 of each numerical value. For example, if the numerical value is "about 80", it can be 80+ / -5, equivalent to 75 to 85. As used herein, the term "about" covers + / -10 of each numerical value. For example, if the numerical value is "about 80", it can be 80+ / -10, equivalent to 70 to 90. As used herein, the term "generally" covers + / -15 of each numerical value. For example, if the numerical value is "about 80", it can be 80+ / -15, equivalent to 65 to 95. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters (regardless of the units) set forth in the following specification and the appended claims are approximate and may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the exemplary embodiments described herein. Within certain ranges, certain lower limits (as modified) may be greater than certain upper limits (as modified), but one skilled in the art will recognize that the selected subset will require the selection of an upper limit that exceeds the selected lower limit.

[0071] At the very least, and not limiting the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0072] The terms "inhibit" or "reduce" or any variation of these terms refer to any measurable decrease, or complete inhibition of a desired outcome. The terms "promote" or "enhance" or any variation of these terms refer to any measurable increase, or achievement of a desired outcome.

[0073] The term "effective," as used in the specification and / or claims, means sufficient to accomplish a desired, intended, or expected result.

[0074] The word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with "comprising" in the claims and / or the specification may mean "one", but is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more", "at least one" and "one or more than one".

[0075] The term "each" refers to every member of a set, or every member of a subset of a set.

[0076] The terms "comprising" (and any forms of inclusion, such as "including" and "containing"), "having" (and any forms of having, such as "having" and "having"), "including" (and any forms of including, such as "including" and "comprising"), or "containing" (and any forms of containing, such as "including" and "including") are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps.

[0077] In interpreting the claims appended hereto, no claim or claim element is intended to trigger 35 USC §§ 112(f) unless the words "means" or "steps" are expressly used in a particular claim.

[0078] It should be understood that although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and descriptions, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of technologies, whether they are currently known or not. The present disclosure should not be limited in any way to the exemplary embodiments and technologies shown in the drawings and descriptions herein. Therefore, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, such description is not intended to be interpreted in a limited manner. Various embodiments may include some, none or all of the listed advantages. When referring to the description of the present invention, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments and alternative embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is conceivable that the attached claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the systems, devices and methods described herein may be modified, added or omitted. For example, the operation of the systems and devices disclosed herein may be performed by more, less or other components in the described methods, or may include more, less or other steps. In addition, the steps may be performed in any suitable order.

Claims

1. A method for producing a hydrocarbon material, the method comprising: selecting a feed material, wherein the feed material contains renewable carbon; hydrodecarboxylating the feed material; hydrodeoxygenating the feed material; wherein a first intermediate is produced; as well as Wherein the first intermediate may be formed from a mixture of molecules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first intermediate is a white alkane.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a feed material containing a hydrocarbon chain having at least one of the following lengths: C10 to C20, C20 to C30, C30 to C50, C50 to C70, C70 to C100.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising polymerizing the feed material using heat, a catalyst, or heat and a catalyst prior to hydrodecarboxylating the feed material and prior to hydrodeoxygenating the feed material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed material contains renewable carbon from at least one of the biosphere, the atmosphere, or the technosphere.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed material renewable carbon is selected from the group consisting of: polymerized vegetable oils, polymerized fatty acids, polymerized fatty acid esters, triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, organic esters, or mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed material is selected from the group consisting of: soy, rapeseed, castor, corn, cottonseed, crambe, linseed, olive, peanut, rapeseed, safflower, sunflower, tall oil, fatty acids, coconut, palm; oils derived from: seeds, pulp, beans, legumes, husks, kernels, or any part of the oil-bearing part of the desired plant; animal fats or fish oils, or mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed material is: a naturally occurring oil or a material containing 50% or more of an unsaturated fatty acid component, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid component includes monounsaturated, diunsaturated and triunsaturated hydrocarbon chains, most of the fatty acids of which are in the range of C16-C22.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising: separating the first intermediate into different components and removing wax, linear alkanes, or low-boiling alkanes from the first intermediate; wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and A second intermediate is produced.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the second intermediate is a white alkane.

23. The method of claim 11, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

24. The method of claim 12, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

28. The method of claim 16, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising: purifying the second intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said second intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising: A feed material is selected that contains a hydrocarbon chain having at least one of the following lengths: C10 to C20, C20 to C30, C30 to C50, C50 to C70, C70 to C100. purifying the first intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the second intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said first intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising: polymerizing the feed material using heat, a catalyst, or both prior to hydrodecarboxylating the feed material and prior to hydrodeoxygenating the feed material; purifying the first intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the first intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said first intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the feed material is a carbon source from the biosphere, the atmosphere, or the technosphere; purifying the first intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the first intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said first intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the feed material is selected from: polymerized vegetable oil, polymerized fatty acid, polymerized fatty acid ester, triglyceride, diglyceride, monoglyceride, organic ester, or a mixture thereof; purifying the first intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the first intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said first intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the feed material is selected from: soybean, rapeseed, castor, corn, cottonseed, crambe, linseed, olive, peanut, rapeseed, safflower, sunflower, tall oil fatty acids, coconut, palm; oils derived from: seeds, pulp, beans, legumes, husks, kernels, or any part of the oil-bearing part of the desired plant; animal fats or fish oils, or mixtures thereof; purifying the first intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the first intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said first intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The feed material is: naturally occurring oil or a material containing 50% or more unsaturated fatty acid components, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid components include monounsaturated, diunsaturated and triunsaturated hydrocarbon chains, most of the fatty acids of which are in the range of C16-C22; purifying the first intermediate product; wherein the purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the first intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration; wherein said purifying results in the removal of impurities from said first intermediate product; as well as White alkanes are produced.

36. A product, comprising: White alkanes; wherein the white alkanes have carbon chains generally in the range of C10 to C100; wherein the white alkane has a viscosity in the range of 2 cSt to 1000 cSt at 40°C, The white alkane is prepared by a process comprising the following steps: Selecting a feed material, wherein the feed material is: a triglyceride, a diglyceride, a monoglyceride, an organic acid ester, an organic acid, a naturally occurring oil, or a material containing 50% or more of an unsaturated fatty acid component, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid component comprises monounsaturated, diunsaturated, and triunsaturated hydrocarbon chains, or a mixture of two or more thereof; polymerizing the feed material using heat, a catalyst, or both prior to hydrodecarboxylating the feed material and prior to hydrodeoxygenating the feed material; hydrodecarboxylating the feed material; hydrodeoxygenating the feed material; separating components from the feed powder after hydrodecarboxylating the feed material and after hydrodeoxygenating the feed material; as well as After hydrodecarboxylating the feed material and after hydrodeoxygenating the feed material, the feed material is purified.

37. The product of claim 36, wherein the method further comprises include: wherein the separation step is accomplished by at least one of: solvent dewaxing, urea dewaxing, distillation, fractionation, fractional crystallization, or light fraction stripping of the first intermediate product; and The purification step is accomplished by at least one of: hydrofinishing the first intermediate product, applying sulfur trioxide, applying oleum, sulfuric acid washing, bauxite filtration, clay-gel extraction, bentonite clay filtration, palygorskite mineral filtration, kaolin filtration, or activated carbon filtration.

38. The product of claim 37, in: The white alkanes are inert, chemically stable compounds; and The white alkanes are generally colorless, oily, almost odorless, water-insoluble liquids, and the white alkanes contain 50% or more renewable carbon.

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