Gasoline fuel components

Abstract

This specification discloses a gasoline fuel component mainly containing C4 - C9 n - paraffins, C4 - C9 mono - branched i - paraffins, and C4 - C9 multi - branched i - paraffins. In the gasoline fuel component, the weight ratio of at least certain i - paraffins to certain n - paraffins is higher than that in gasoline components of the prior art. This gasoline fuel component can provide improved blendability, octane number, and combustion characteristics.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates, in general, to gasoline fuels, and more specifically, to gasoline fuels including blends of gasoline components. This disclosure particularly relates to novel gasoline fuel components that can be obtained from renewable sources, though not exclusively. [Background technology]

[0002] This section provides useful background technical information without assuming that any of the technologies described herein represent the current state of technology.

[0003] Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and / or carbon footprints in transportation remains a necessity. Therefore, interest in renewable transportation fuels is growing.

[0004] Processes have been proposed for producing gasoline fuel components from renewable raw materials. However, the octane rating of such gasoline fuel components has been relatively low (compared to other conventional gasoline fuel components). There is a need to improve the quality of renewable gasoline fuel components. In particular, there is interest in producing renewable gasoline fuel components that can be used in large quantities together with further gasoline components in gasoline fuel compositions. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The objective is to solve or mitigate at least some of the problems associated with the prior art. The objective is to improve the quality of gasoline fuel components that can be obtained from renewable sources. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The attached claims define the scope of protection. Any examples and technical descriptions of products, processes, and / or uses in the descriptions and / or drawings not covered by the claims are presented not as embodiments of the invention, but as useful examples for understanding the invention.

[0007] According to a first exemplary embodiment, a gasoline fuel component comprising n-paraffin, single-branched i-paraffin and multi-branched i-paraffin, The total amount of C4-C9n-paraffin, C4-C9 single-branched i-paraffin, and C4-C9 multi-branched i-paraffin exceeds 90 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel components. A gasoline fuel component is provided in which the weight ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin is at least 4.0, preferably at least 4.5, more preferably at least 5.0, more preferably at least 5.5, and even more preferably at least 6.0, and optionally the total amount of C8n-paraffin and C8i-paraffin is at least 1.0 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component, preferably at least 2.5 wt-%, more preferably at least 5.0 wt-%, more preferably at least 5.5 wt-%, even more preferably at least 6.0 wt-%, and most preferably at least 7.0 wt-%.

[0008] The inventors have found that gasoline fuel components and embodiments thereof offer advantages compared to conventional gasoline components. These advantages relate, for example, to better blendability, higher octane rating, and better combustion characteristics, which will be described in more detail later.

[0009] The production of gasoline fuel components can be achieved using specific processes that include a combination of hydrogen isomerization and hydrocracking of paraffinic feedstocks. These gasoline fuel components may be obtained from processes for producing renewable fuel components, which further include the recovery of aviation fuel components.

[0010] According to a second exemplary embodiment, the use of the gasoline fuel component in a gasoline fuel composition is provided.

[0011] According to a third exemplary embodiment, a gasoline fuel composition comprising the gasoline fuel component is provided. The above use and gasoline fuel composition provides a commercial liquid transport fuel product in which the gasoline fuel component may contribute to the bio-content and may provide better blendability, combustion characteristics and a higher octane number.

[0012] According to a fourth exemplary embodiment, the use of the gasoline fuel component is provided in raw materials for industrial conversion processes, preferably in pyrolysis raw materials and / or catalytic cracking raw materials, in solvents, in carriers, in dispersant compositions, in deemulsifiers, in extractants, in surfactants, in degreasing compositions, in detergents, in thinners, in penetrating oils, in corrosion inhibitor compositions, in multipurpose oils, in compositions for metalworking, agriculture, construction, electronic equipment, medical devices, automobiles, electrical, textiles, packaging, paper and / or pharmaceutical industries, and / or in the manufacture of intermediates for these purposes.

[0013] Various non-binding exemplary embodiments and models are shown above. The embodiments described herein are used solely to illustrate selected embodiments or steps that may be used in different embodiments. Some embodiments may be presented only by reference to specific exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that corresponding embodiments may also be applicable to other exemplary embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] Several exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the process for producing this gasoline fuel component is shown. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the process for producing this gasoline fuel component is shown.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] In the following description, like reference numerals indicate like elements or steps.

[0017] All standards referred to in this specification are the latest revised versions available on the filing date, unless otherwise specified.

[0018] Unless otherwise specified, for distillation characteristics such as initial boiling point (IBP), final boiling point (FBP), T5 temperature (5 vol-% recovery), T10 temperature (10 vol-% recovery), T95 temperature (95 vol-% recovery), and boiling point range, EN ISO3405-2019 is referred to. The IBP is the temperature at the moment when the first droplet of condensate falls from the lower end of the condenser tube, and the FBP is the maximum thermometer measurement value obtained during the test, usually occurring after all the liquid has evaporated from the bottom of the flask. For boiling point distribution, a GC-based method (simdis) ASTM D2887-19e1, or for hydrocarbons in the gasoline range, ASTM D7096-19 can also be referred to.

[0019] Where used in the context of this disclosure, “gasoline fuel component” is the subject of the present invention and is formed primarily from paraffinic hydrocarbons, as will be defined in more detail later. It can preferably be obtained as cuts or fractions from one or more processes of refining a supply material in several steps and fractionating the product into cuts. Typically, such gasoline fuel components have IBP and FBP, which boil in the range of about 25°C to about 210°C, as determined in accordance with EN ISO 3405-2019. This means providing at least usable components together with at least one other gasoline component to form a “gasoline fuel composition”. The gasoline fuel composition refers to a product that can be commercially sold as gasoline, gasoline fuel, or gasoline (petrol) and is usable as fuel for spark-ignition engines, and the gasoline fuel composition meets one or more standard specifications for gasoline fuel, such as the specifications specified in EN 228-2012+A1-2017. Typically, a gasoline fuel composition is a blend of two or more gasoline fuel components.

[0020] As used in the context of this disclosure, aviation fuel components refer to hydrocarbon compositions suitable for use in fuel compositions that meet standard specifications for aviation fuels, such as those specified in ASTM D7566-21. Typically, such aviation fuel components have IBP and FBP, which boil in the range of about 100°C to about 300°C, for example, in the range of about 150°C to about 300°C, as determined in accordance with EN ISO 3405-2019.

[0021] As used in the context of this disclosure, diesel fuel component refers to a hydrocarbon composition suitable for use in fuel compositions that meet standard specifications for diesel fuels, such as those specified in EN 15940:2016+A1:2018+AC:2019 or EN 590:2022. Typically, such diesel fuel components have IBP and FBP, which boil in the range of about 160°C to about 380°C, as determined according to EN ISO 3405-2019.

[0022] As used herein, hydrocarbons refer to compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen. Hydrocarbons of particular interest in this context include paraffins, n-paraffins, i-paraffins, unbranched i-paraffins, polybranched i-paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics. Oxygen-containing hydrocarbons refer herein to hydrocarbons containing covalently bonded oxygen.

[0023] As used herein, paraffin refers to acyclic alkanes, i.e., acyclic open-chain saturated hydrocarbons that are either straight-chain (normal paraffin, n-paraffin) or branched (isoparaffin, i-paraffin). In other words, paraffin as used herein refers to n-paraffin and / or i-paraffin.

[0024] In the context of this disclosure, i-paraffin refers to a branched open-chain alkane, i.e., an acyclic open-chain saturated hydrocarbon having one or more alkyl side chains. Herein, an i-paraffin having one alkyl side chain or branch is referred to as monobranched i-paraffin, and an i-paraffin having two or more alkyl side chains or branches is referred to here as polybranched i-paraffin. In other words, i-paraffin refers here to monobranched i-paraffin and / or polybranched i-paraffin. The alkyl side chain of an i-paraffin may be, for example, a C1-C6 alkyl side chain, preferably a methyl side chain. The amounts of monobranched and polybranched i-paraffin may be given separately. The term “i-paraffin” refers to the total amount of any monobranched i-paraffin and any polybranched i-paraffin, if present, and indicates the total amount of any i-paraffin present regardless of the number of branches. Correspondingly, “paraffin” refers to the total amount of any n-paraffin, any monobranched i-paraffin, and polybranched i-paraffin, if present.

[0025] In the context of this disclosure, olefins refer to unsaturated, linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbons, excluding aromatic compounds. In other words, olefins refer to hydrocarbons having at least one unsaturated bond, excluding the unsaturated bond in the aromatic ring.

[0026] As used herein, cyclic hydrocarbons refer to all hydrocarbons containing a cyclic structure, including cyclic olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics. Naphthenes, as used herein, refer to cycloalkanes, i.e., saturated hydrocarbons containing at least one cyclic structure, with or without side chains. Since naphthenes are saturated compounds, they are compounds that do not contain an aromatic ring structure. Aromatics, as used herein, refer to hydrocarbons containing at least one aromatic ring structure, i.e., a cyclic structure having alternating π bonds delocalized around the cyclic structure described above.

[0027] In the context of this disclosure, for compositions boiling at <250°C (at standard atmospheric pressure), the content of n-paraffins, i-paraffins, unbranched i-paraffins, various polybranched i-paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, and aromatics is expressed as wt% of the weight of the feed, flow, effluent, product, component, or sample, or, if defined as such, as wt% of the total weight of paraffins or i-paraffins in the feed, flow, effluent, product, component, or sample. The above content can be determined by the GC-FID / GC-MS method, preferably as follows: GC-FID as disclosed in ASTM D6839 was performed using the following parameters: column ZB-1 60m, ID 0.25mm, df 1.0 micron, or similar; oven 0°C (2 min) - 1.5°C / min 300°C (5 min); injector and detector 300°C; carrier gas helium 1.0 ml / min; detector gas H2 35 ml / min and air 350 ml / min; constitutive flow helium 30 ml / min; split flow 165:1 (165 ml / min). Individual compounds were identified using GC-MS (running parameters: ion source 230°C; interface 280°C; scan 25-280 m / z; scan rate 303; scan event time 0.88). Commercial tools (Shimadzu's LabSolutions / GCMSSolutions and Agilent's OpenLab) were used to identify the detected compounds or hydrocarbon groups, and to determine their mass concentrations by applying a response coefficient for n-heptane to the area of ​​the detected peaks and then normalizing to 100 wt-% (for liquid volume concentrations: by applying a density factor to the calculated mass concentration of the detected peaks and then normalizing to 100 vol-%). Cyclic olefins were grouped together with naphthenes. The limit of quantification for individual compounds in this method is 0.1 wt-%.

[0028] In the context of this disclosure, for hydrocracking feed and other compositions of a similar boiling range, the content of n-paraffins, i-paraffins, unbranched i-paraffins, various polybranched i-paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics is expressed as wt% of the degassed weight of the feed, flow, effluent, product, component, or sample, or, if defined so, as wt% of the total weight of paraffins or i-paraffins in the feed, flow, effluent, product, component, or sample. The above content can be determined by the GC×GC-FID / GC×GC-MS method, preferably as follows: The GC×GC (2D GC) method was described in UOP990-2011 and by Nousiainen M. in his master's thesis, Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric and flame ionization detectors in petroleum chemistry (University of As generally disclosed in the experimental section of Helsinki, August 2017, the following modifications were made: GC×GC was performed in reverse mode using a semipolar column (Rxi17Sil) first, then a nonpolar column (Rxi5Sil), followed by an FID detector, with the following parameters: carrier gas helium 31.7 cm / sec (column flow rate 1.60 ml / min at 40°C); split ratio 1:350; injector 280°C; column T program 40°C (0 min) - 5°C / min - 250°C (0 min) - 10°C / min - 300°C (5 min), run time 52 min; modulation period 10 sec; detector 300°C with H 240 ml / min and air 400 ml / min; constituent flow helium 30 ml / min; sampling rate 250 Hz and injection size 0.2 microliters. Individual compounds were identified using GC×GC-MS with the following MS parameters: ion source 230°C; interface 300°C; scan range 25-500 amu; event time (seconds) 0.05; scan speed 20000.Commercial tools (Shimadzu's LabSolutions, Zoex's GC imaging) were used for data processing, including identification of detected compounds or hydrocarbon groups, and to determine their mass concentrations by applying the response coefficient for n-heptane to the volume of the detected peak and then normalizing it to 100 wt-%. Olefins were grouped together with naphthenic and aromatic heteroatoms unless otherwise reported. The limit of quantification for individual compounds using this method is 0.1 wt-%.

[0029] In the context of this disclosure, various properties of feed, flow, effluent, product, component, or sample are determined according to a standard method appropriately prepared and referenced or disclosed herein. For example, the cloud point is determined from the degassed feed, flow, effluent, product, component, or sample according to ASTM D5771-17.

[0030] In the context of this disclosure, feeds to reaction sections, in particular the first reaction section and / or the second reaction section, are defined such that H2 that may be supplied to each reaction section, for example, H2 supplied for hydrogen isomerization and / or H2 supplied for hydrocracking, are excluded from the definition of feeds.

[0031] As used herein, hydrogen isomerized (HI) effluent may, in some cases, refer to total HI effluent, degassed HI effluent, or degassed and stabilized HI effluent, and the term HI effluent may encompass each of these.

[0032] In the context of this disclosure, CX+ paraffin, CX+ n-paraffin, CX+ i-paraffin, CX+ unibranched i-paraffin, CX+ polybranched i-paraffin, CX+ hydrocarbon, or CX+ fatty acid refers to a paraffin, n-paraffin, i-paraffin, unibranched i-paraffin, polybranched i-paraffin, hydrocarbon, or fatty acid having at least X carbon atoms, respectively, where X is any possible integer. It is understood that not all compounds that fall within the definition necessarily exist.

[0033] In the context of the present disclosure, CY-paraffin, CY-n-paraffin, CY-i-paraffin, CY-mono-branched i-paraffin, CY-multi-branched i-paraffin, CY-hydrocarbon, or CY-fatty acid each refer to a paraffin, n-paraffin, i-paraffin, mono-branched i-paraffin, multi-branched i-paraffin, hydrocarbon, or fatty acid having a maximum of Y carbon atoms, where Y is any achievable integer. In the context of the present disclosure, CX Y -CX Z (or CX Y -CX Z ) paraffin, CX Y -CX Z n-paraffin, CX Y -CX Z i-paraffin, CX Y -CX Z mono-branched i-paraffin, CX Y -CX Z multi-branched i-paraffin, CX Y -CX Z hydrocarbon or CX Y -CX Z fatty acid each refer to a range of paraffin, n-paraffin, i-paraffin, mono-branched i-paraffin, multi-branched i-paraffin, hydrocarbon or fatty acid, where X Y and X Zis a feasible terminal integer, and the number of carbon atoms within such a range is indicated by the terminal integer and, if present, any integer between the above terminal values. However, in some cases, paraffins, n-paraffins, i-paraffins, unbranched i-paraffins, polybranched i-paraffins, hydrocarbons, or fatty acids of all the above number of carbon atoms within the above range, particularly around or at the endpoints, may not necessarily exist (unless so explicitly indicated). On the other hand, by definition, isomers may include several compounds having the same number of carbon atoms; for example, C9 isomers may include methyl octane (at different positions of methyl branching), dimethylheptane (at different positions of two methyl branchings), etc., and “C9 isomers” includes the total amount of all such variants. Typically, this means the total amount, as weight or volume, of paraffins, n-paraffins, i-paraffins, unbranched i-paraffins, polybranched i-paraffins, hydrocarbons, or fatty acids of all the carbon atoms included, as defined each time. For example, C4~C9n-paraffin refers to any n-paraffin within the above range, such as C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, and C9n-paraffin, even if the C9n-paraffin content is 0. In other words, the total amount can be obtained by adding 0 (representing the non-existent C9n-paraffin) to the total weight of all other C4~C9n-paraffins present.

[0034] Isomerization converts at least a certain amount of n-paraffins into i-paraffins, particularly unbranched i-paraffins. By increasing the degree of isomerization, for example by increasing the degree of hydrogen isomerization as described below, more n-paraffins can be converted into i-paraffins, and unbranched i-paraffins can be converted into multibranched i-paraffins, such as dibranched, tribranched i-paraffins, and even i-paraffins containing more than three branches.

[0035] As used herein and in the context of the second reactor section, effective degree of decomposition refers to decomposition that produces non-gas (NTP) decomposition products, expressed in particular as the ratio of the C8-C14 hydrocarbon content in the hydrocracking effluent to the C8-C14 hydrocarbon content in the second reactor section feed.

[0036] As used herein, the term renewable means compounds or compositions that can be obtained, derived from, or originate from plants and / or animals, and includes compounds or compositions that can be obtained, derived from, or originate from, fungi and / or algae, all or in part. As used herein, renewable compounds or compositions may include genetically modified compounds or compositions. Renewable feed, components, compounds, or compositions may also be called biological feed, components, compounds, or compositions, or biological feed, components, compounds, or compositions.

[0037] As used herein, the term "fossil" refers to compounds or compositions that can be obtained, derivable from, or derived from naturally occurring, non-renewable compositions, such as crude oil, petroleum / gas, shale oil / gas, natural gas, or coal deposits, and combinations thereof, including any hydrocarbon-rich deposits that can be utilized from above-ground / subsurface sources. The term "recycled" refers to recycled materials that typically originate from non-renewable sources. For example, the term "recycled" may refer to recycled materials derived from waste plastics.

[0038] The renewable, recycled, and fossil compounds or compositions described above are considered distinct from one another based on their origin and impact on environmental issues. Therefore, they may be treated differently under legal and regulatory frameworks. Typically, renewable, recycled, and fossil compounds or compositions are distinguished based on their origin and the information provided by their manufacturers.

[0039] Chemically, the renewable or fossil origin of any organic compound, including hydrocarbons, can be determined by appropriate methods for analyzing the carbon content from renewable sources, e.g., DIN51637(2014), ASTM D6866(2020), or EN16640(2017). These methods indicate that renewable or biologically derived carbon atoms have a greater number of unstable radiocarbons compared to fossil-derived carbon atoms. 14 This is based on the fact that it contains C atoms. Therefore, 12 C and 14 By analyzing the ratio of 14C isotopes, it is possible to distinguish between carbon compounds derived from renewable or biological sources or raw materials and carbon compounds derived from non-renewable or fossil sources or raw materials. Therefore, specific ratios of the above isotopes can be used as "tags" to identify renewable carbon compounds and distinguish them from non-renewable carbon compounds. The ratio of isotopes does not change during the course of a chemical reaction. Thus, the ratio of isotopes can be used to identify renewable compounds, components, and compositions and to distinguish them from non-renewable fossil materials in reactor feed, reactor effluent, separated product fractions, and various blends thereof. Numerically, the biogenic carbon content can be expressed as the amount of biogenic carbon in the material as a weight percentage of the total carbon (TC) in the material (according to ASTM D6866(2020) or EN16640(2017)). In this context, the term renewable preferably refers to a material having a bio-based carbon content of more than 50 wt-%, particularly more than 60 wt-%, or more than 70 wt-%, preferably more than 80 wt-%, more preferably more than 90 wt-%, or more than 95 wt-%, and even more preferably about 100 wt-%, based on the total weight of carbon in the material (EN16640(2017)).

[0040] According to a first aspect, the Specified provides a gasoline fuel component comprising n-paraffin, unibranched i-paraffin and multibranched i-paraffin, wherein the total amount of C4-C9n-paraffin, C4-C9 unibranched i-paraffin and C4-C9 multibranched i-paraffin is greater than 90 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component, and the weight ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin is at least 4.0.

[0041] The gasoline fuel component is highly paraffinic and mainly comprises n-paraffins, unbranched i-paraffins, and polybranched i-paraffins. The carbon number distribution may be relatively broad, but is typically limited by the boiling points of the hydrocarbons in it, as it is preferable that the gasoline fuel component be recovered as a distillation fraction. In any case, the carbon number distribution of paraffins in the gasoline fuel component typically covers at least three adjacent carbon atoms, preferably at least four adjacent carbon atoms, and more preferably at least five adjacent carbon atoms, within the range of C4 to C9.

[0042] Gasoline fuel components are characterized by the total amounts of C4-C9n-paraffins, C4-C9 unbranched i-paraffins, and C4-C9 polybranched i-paraffins, which together exceed 90 wt-% of the total weight of gasoline fuel components. However, it should be noted that the above total amounts are defined by adding together the amounts of any paraffins with the relevant number of carbon atoms (i.e., within the above range of carbon atoms, including the endpoint) found in the analysis. On the other hand, it should not be understood that this necessarily indicates the presence of paraffins with all carbon atoms that fall within the above range.

[0043] C8 paraffin is usable in gasoline fuels and can be present in varying amounts in high-paraffinic gasoline components, particularly depending on the distillation endpoint used for recovering the gasoline fraction. However, because n-C8 has a low RON of -20, its presence can adversely affect the octane rating of the gasoline fuel component. For example, removing all C8 paraffin from the recovered gasoline fuel component by lowering the FBP of the gasoline fuel component leads to an unacceptable decrease in the yield of the component. Surprisingly, it has been found that by controlling the weight ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin to be at least 4.0, preferably at least 4.5, more preferably at least 5.0, more preferably at least 5.5, even more preferably at least 6.0, preferably up to 70, even more preferably up to 60, more preferably up to 50, even more preferably up to 40, typically up to 30, or up to 25, or up to 20, it is possible to obtain a component with a good octane rating without having to eliminate the C8 paraffin content. Conversely, C8 paraffin may be incorporated in a substantial amount of the total weight of the gasoline fuel components, typically at least 1.0 wt-%, preferably at least 2.5 wt-%, more preferably at least 5.0 wt-%, more preferably at least 5.5 wt-%, even more preferably at least 6.0 wt-%, or most preferably at least 7.0 wt-%, typically up to 50 wt-%, or up to 40 wt-%, or up to 30 wt-%, or up to 25 wt-%, for example, 4.0–50 wt-%, or 4.5–50 wt-%, or 5.0–40 wt-%, without destroying the octane rating of the components, provided that the ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin as defined above is satisfied.Provided that the ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin is as defined above, the gasoline fuel component may contain a non-negligible amount of C8n-paraffin, typically at least 0.1 wt-%, more preferably at least 0.3 wt-%, more preferably at least 0.5 wt-%, and even more preferably at least 0.6 wt-%, while still having a good or sufficient octane rating. In practice, even more significant improvements may be observed compared to conventional paraffin-based gasoline components. When the ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin is as defined above, the C8n-paraffin content may be 1.0 wt-% or more, 1.5 wt-% or more, 2.0 wt-% or more, 2.5 wt-% or more, or even 3.0 wt-% or more, while still providing an acceptable octane rating, as shown in the examples.

[0044] Generally, C7 paraffin is abundant in high-paraffinic gasoline components due to the distillation process for recovering the gasoline fraction. Defining embodiments of this gasoline fuel component by its C7 paraffin content highlights an interesting quality. In certain embodiments, the total amount of C7 paraffin by weight of the gasoline fuel component is at least 15 wt-%, preferably at least 20 wt-%, such as in the range of 15 wt-% to 40 wt-%, or 15 wt-% to 35 wt-%, or 15 wt-% to 30 wt-%. C7 paraffin refers to the total amount of C7n-paraffin, C7 unbranched i-paraffin, and C7 polybranched i-paraffin. Nevertheless, n-heptane, C7n-paraffin, has an octane number of 0, which reduces the RON and MON values ​​of the gasoline fuel component and the final gasoline fuel composition.

[0045] Therefore, to improve the RON of gasoline fuel components, it is beneficial to have the highest possible i-C7 / n-C7 ratio. In certain embodiments, the weight ratio of C7i-paraffin to C7n-paraffin (i-C7 / n-C7 ratio) is at least 2.7, preferably at least 2.8, preferably at least 2.9, preferably at least 3.0, preferably at least 3.1, preferably at least 3.2, and preferably at least 3.4. In high-paraffinic compositions, such an i-C7 / n-C7 ratio has been found to be an indicator of particularly high-quality gasoline components, as shown by the examples. In practice, the upper limit of the above ratio is derived from a reasonable degree of isomerization, so the ratio can be up to 5.0 or up to 10. Thus, the above ratio can vary from 2.7 to 10, for example from 3.4 to 5.0. Conventional paraffinic gasoline fuel components, such as those derived from the hydrodeoxygenation of vegetable oils, tend to have lower i-paraffin content, especially when the number of carbon atoms is low, such as C7.

[0046] Another single carbon number in question is C6, and here again, keeping the C6n-paraffin and n-hexane content low is beneficial for improving RON and due to their properties which raise concerns about health and / or the environment. Therefore, in certain embodiments, the C6n-paraffin content of the gasoline fuel component is at most 11 wt-%, at most 9 wt-%, and at most 8 wt-%, such as 0.5 wt-% to 11 wt-% or 0.5 wt-% to 8 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. The total amount of C6 paraffin in the gasoline fuel component is typically at least 10 wt-%, and at most 40 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. The higher the total C6 paraffin content, the higher the absolute C6n-paraffin content tends to be, but in any case, in this gasoline fuel component, the weight ratio of C6i-paraffin to C6n-paraffin is preferably greater than 1.0.

[0047] While C6 represents a typical number of carbon atoms in any hydrocarbon gasoline, this gasoline component may be particularly advantageous due to its relatively high i-paraffin content, which can also be applied to C6 paraffins. In such embodiments, even with an abundance of C6 paraffins, the n-hexane content is not of concern due to the high i-paraffin composition. The relatively high i-paraffin content relative to the n-paraffin content of a C6 paraffin can be given as the weight ratio of C6i-paraffin to C6n-paraffin. Therefore, in certain embodiments, this gasoline fuel component may be characterized by a weight ratio of C6i-paraffin to C6n-paraffin of at least 1.5, preferably at least 1.7, and more preferably at least 2.0.

[0048] Preferably, the gasoline fuel component contains at least 0.5 wt-%, more preferably at least 1.0 wt-%, more preferably 1.5 wt-%, even more preferably at least 3.0 wt-%, most preferably at least 5.0 wt-%, typically up to 10.0 wt-%, based on the total weight of the gasoline fuel component, C4n-paraffin. Typically, the total C4 paraffin content in the gasoline fuel component is at least 1.0 wt-%, even more preferably at least 5.0 wt-%, or at least 7.0 wt-%, typically up to 15 wt-%, based on the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. The gasoline fuel component may contain a non-negligible amount of C4n-paraffin and / or total C4 paraffin without impairing vapor pressure and / or other properties. A higher proportion of C4 paraffin may allow for a higher yield of the gasoline fuel component, particularly when the gasoline fuel component is recovered from fractionation.

[0049] Typical embodiments of this gasoline fuel component may include at least C6, C7, and C8 paraffins. Considering the i-paraffin content relative to the n-paraffin content of C6-C8 paraffins, these embodiments may be characterized by a weight ratio of C6-C8i-paraffins to C6-C8n-paraffins of at least 2.7, preferably at least 2.8, and more preferably at least 3.0. As seen in the examples, C6, C7, and C8 may be the most abundant carbon numbers in gasoline fuel components in certain embodiments. Therefore, the weight ratio of C6-C8i-paraffins to C6-C8n-paraffins very well represents such embodiments of this gasoline fuel component. Having such a high degree of isomerization within this carbon number range C6-C8 is by no means typical of gasoline cuts in the prior art. Furthermore, since the RON of n-C6 paraffins is 25, n-C7 paraffins are 0, and n-C8 paraffins are -20, their presence can negatively affect the octane rating of gasoline fuel components. For example, eliminating all C7 and C8 paraffins, and even all C6 paraffins, by reducing the FBP of the component, would cause an unacceptable decrease in the yield of the component. Surprisingly, it has been found that by controlling the weight ratio of C6-C8i-paraffins to C6-C8n-paraffins, as specified, a component with a good octane rating can be provided without having to eliminate or even substantially minimize the content of C7 and C8 paraffins. Conversely, C6-C8 paraffins can be incorporated in high amounts without destroying the octane rating of the gasoline fuel component. Preferably, the total amount of C6-C8n-paraffins and C6-C8i-paraffins is at least 50 wt-%, more preferably at least 55 wt-%, even more preferably at least 58 wt-%, typically up to 95 wt-%, or up to 90 wt-%, or up to 85 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. Such a total amount of C6-C8n-paraffins and C6-C8i-paraffins in the gasoline fuel component can provide a significant improvement over conventional paraffinic gasoline components.

[0050] Another feature that correlates with the desired properties of a gasoline fuel component is the weight ratio of the total amount of C6-C9 multibranched i-paraffins to the total amount of C6-C9n-paraffins. According to a particular preferred embodiment, the above weight ratio of C6-C9 multibranched i-paraffins to C6-C9n-paraffins is at least 0.2, preferably at least 0.3, more preferably at least 0.4, and even more preferably at least 0.5. The above ratio may be up to 1.5 or even up to 2.0. A high weight ratio of C6-C9 multibranched i-paraffins to C6-C9n-paraffins significantly improves the RON of high-paraffinic gasoline fuel components. Compared to monobranched i-paraffins, multibranched i-paraffins are more effective in compensating for the low RON of n-paraffins. Conventional gasoline components obtained from the hydrodeoxygenation of vegetable oils have a lower multibranched i-paraffin content. The octane number of n-heptane is 0, but both the RON and MON of n-C8 and n-C9, i.e., n-octane and n-nonane, are even lower, less than 0.

[0051] Highly isomerized gasoline fuel components have been found to offer octane-related advantages over n-paraffin compositions. Accordingly, according to certain preferred embodiments, the gasoline fuel component comprises at least 50 wt-%, preferably at least 55 wt-%, more preferably at least 60 wt-%, and even more preferably at least 65 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component C4-C9 i-paraffin, and / or comprises at least 5 wt-%, preferably at least 6 wt-%, more preferably at least 7 wt-%, even more preferably at least 10 wt-%, or at least 11 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component C6-C9 polybranched i-paraffin. Accordingly, in such embodiments, the gasoline fuel component is primarily i-paraffin-based, and the notable portion of the i-paraffin may include two or more branches. Gasoline fuel components having such C4-C9i-paraffins and / or C6-C9 multibranched i-paraffins significantly improve the RON of (high-paraffin) gasoline fuel components compared to conventional gasoline components derived from the hydrodeoxygenation of vegetable oils, which have a high i-paraffin content but may have a low multibranched i-paraffin content, especially in the case of the lower carbon numbers mentioned above.

[0052] Research method octane and motor method octane, RON and MON, may be measured for neat gasoline components or for gasoline components blended with other gasoline components having known octane ratings, and are given as bRON and bMON, respectively. The acronyms RON, bRON, MON, and bMON used herein refer to the corrected measured RON, bRON, MON, and bMON, i.e., the corrected values ​​obtained after subtracting 0.2 from the measured values ​​(according to Section 5.6 of EN228:2012 as amended 2017). Throughout this specification, clean research method and motor method octane ratings are intended, i.e., obtained without the use of octane-enhancing additives. Standard methods for measuring RON and MON are described, for example, in ASTM D2699 / D2700. Measurement and calculation of bRON are known in the art and are published, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,244,704. The experimental section of this disclosure studied the gasoline fuel components according to this disclosure in blends with typical gasoline components. Surprisingly, the bRON and bMON results of the gasoline fuel components according to this disclosure were significantly better than those of another renewable paraffinic gasoline component used as a reference in the above experiments. A low octane rating of the reference gasoline component limits its use in blends, as too much of it in the gasoline composition will result in a below-target octane rating. Therefore, a larger proportion of this gasoline fuel component can be incorporated into the gasoline fuel composition without compromising the target octane compared to the above-mentioned reference renewable gasoline component. Accordingly, according to certain embodiments, the gasoline fuel component has at least 51, preferably at least 55 bRON. According to certain embodiments, the gasoline fuel component has at least 48, preferably at least 50, and even more preferably at least 55 bMON.

[0053] The inventors have also found that the gasoline fuel components of this disclosure, which contain a high content of paraffins within the C4-C9 carbon number range, can be highly beneficial compared to conventional gasoline components for several reasons. For example, the high-paraffin gasoline fuel components of this disclosure naturally have a low total content of non-paraffin compounds. For example, the total content of aromatics, olefins, and naphthenes is typically less than 5.0 wt-%, often at most 3.0 wt-%, such as less than 4.0 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. Of these, the total content of aromatics is typically less than 3.0 wt-%, often less than 2.0 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. Low aromatic content contributes, for example, to reduced deposit formation in engines and injectors. Overall, the incorporation of high-paraffin gasoline fuel components into blends supports meeting standards such as EN 228, which take into account restrictions on aromatics and benzene in particular. High paraffin content can also provide easy biodegradability. Furthermore, high-paraffinic gasoline fuel components can offer end-users better performance in terms of combustion and / or emissions. Additionally, these gasoline fuel components blend very well with other typical gasoline components. Moreover, high-paraffinic gasoline fuel components are more stable or inert, for example, during storage and blending, compared to components with high content of non-paraffinic compounds, particularly olefins, that can react in the component or gasoline fuel composition to form high molecular weight precipitates, i.e., gums. Typically, the total olefin content is less than 1000 vol-ppm of the total gasoline fuel component weight. Aromatic compounds are also more susceptible to instability, particularly with increasing aromatic size and concentration, and may have a greater tendency to accumulate under stress, for example, due to oxidation and molecular growth of aromatic compounds. Improved stability is a particularly desirable characteristic for hybrid vehicles, for example, that use gasoline only as a secondary fuel, retained for extended periods within the fuel system, and with another primary power source such as electricity or gas. Furthermore, paraffins in certain ranges, such as those within the C4-C9 range, are more beneficial to the final product characteristics when blended with other typical gasoline components than neat or pure components, such as neat n-naphthenes.

[0054] Therefore, according to a particular preferred embodiment, in the gasoline fuel component, the total amount of C4-C9n-paraffin, C4-C9 single-branched i-paraffin, and C4-C9 multi-branched i-paraffin is greater than 93 wt-%, preferably greater than 95 wt-%, and more preferably 95-99 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component.

[0055] When the paraffin content within the C4-C9 carbon number range is high, the total amount of any hydrocarbons with three or fewer carbon atoms (C3-hydrocarbons), i.e., C1-C3 hydrocarbons, is low, typically at a maximum of 4.0 wt-%, or at a maximum of 3.5 wt-%, or at a maximum of 3.0 wt-%, of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component. Limiting the presence of light hydrocarbons, i.e., hydrocarbons with three or fewer carbon atoms, improves the handling of the component and any product such as gasoline fuel compositions.

[0056] By further studying paraffins within the C4-C9 carbon number range of the gasoline fuel component, the inventors also defined the average carbon number of n-paraffins and i-paraffins within the above carbon number range. According to a particular embodiment of the gasoline fuel component, the average carbon number of C4-C9n-paraffins is at most 6.0, preferably at most 5.6. Preferably, the average carbon number is between 5.0 and 6.0 or within the range of 5.0-6.0. Compared to the average carbon number of C4-C9i-paraffins in the gasoline fuel component, C4-C9n-paraffins have an average carbon number that is at least 0.5 units lower, preferably at least 0.6 units lower, than the average carbon number of the corresponding C4-C9i-paraffins. This has been found to contribute to the octane number, such that a lower average carbon number of C4-C9n-paraffins results in a higher RON of the gasoline fuel component. Since it has been found that the average number of carbon atoms in i-paraffins is higher, according to certain embodiments, the average number of carbon atoms in C4-C9i-paraffins is greater than 6.0, preferably at least 6.2, and more preferably in the range of 6.2 to 8.0. The RON of n-paraffins tends to increase with decreasing carbon number. For example, the RON of n-C8 and n-C9 is -20 or less, the RON of n-C7 is 0, the RON of n-C6 is 25, the RON of n-C5 is 62, and the RON of n-C4 is 94. Furthermore, the RON of paraffins tends to increase with increasing branching, and compared to n-paraffins with the same number of carbon atoms, single-branched i-paraffins have a somewhat higher octane number, and highly branched i-paraffins have a significantly higher octane number. For example, reducing the average number of carbon atoms in the C4-C9 range of paraffins in a component by lowering the FBP of the component causes an unacceptable decrease in yield. Also, thoroughly increasing the branching degree is uneconomical and unnecessary. Surprisingly, as stated above, it has been found that by controlling the average carbon number of C4~C9n-paraffins and / or C4~C9i-paraffins, it is possible to provide gasoline fuel components with a good octane rating without having to excessively reduce FBP or drastically increase branching.

[0057] This gasoline fuel component can be obtained from renewable raw materials that provide a high bio-content in its product by a process that will be defined in detail later. The bio-derived carbon content can be defined for any feasible composition according to EN 16640 (2017). According to a particular embodiment, the bio-derived carbon content of the gasoline fuel component is at least 50 wt-%, preferably at least 70 wt-%, more preferably at least 90 wt-%, or at least 95 wt-%, or even about 100 wt-%, based on the total weight (TC) of carbon in the gasoline fuel component. This gasoline fuel component contributes to and advantageously increases the bio-content of the overall gasoline fuel composition.

[0058] The gasoline fuel component can be obtained as a fraction recovered from a process developed for the production of high-quality liquid transport fuel components, particularly optimized for producing renewable and / or sustainable aviation fuels, as shown in the examples. In certain preferred embodiments, aviation fuel components are recovered from the fraction in addition to the gasoline fuel component, and both are usable as liquid transport fuel components. Combined recovery of gasoline fuel components and aviation fuel components provides a higher-value product from the efficient use and purification of feedstocks to the process. Generally, gasoline fuels and aviation fuels may have relatively little overlap in terms of boiling point and hydrocarbon distribution. Therefore, the gasoline fuel component and (renewable) aviation fuel component can be recovered as a subsequent cut from fractionation, for example, by distillation. Furthermore, process selection that improves the quality of aviation fuel components, such as hydrocracking of isomerized paraffinic streams, also improves the quality of gasoline fuel components, particularly blendability, octane number, and combustion characteristics.

[0059] The beneficial properties of this gasoline fuel component, particularly the high i-paraffin / n-paraffin ratio in low-carbon paraffins, can be derived from the production process and its feedstock. The gasoline fuel component can be obtained directly from the recovery of the products of the production process.

[0060] In certain embodiments, the gasoline fuel component can be obtained by a process comprising: providing a paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock, preferably obtained by hydrodeoxygenation of an oxygenated hydrocarbon feedstock, typically containing vegetable oils, animal fats and / or microbial oils, and optionally subsequently by gas-liquid separation and / or paraffinic feedstock fractionation; and subjecting the paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock to at least hydrogen isomerization, preferably hydrogen isomerization and hydrocracking, followed by fractionation, from which at least the gasoline fuel component is recovered. The feedstock and process steps, particularly the paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock, hydrogen isomerization and optional hydrocracking, and fractionation are preferably as further defined herein. According to certain preferred embodiments, the gasoline fuel component is To provide a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed containing at least 60 wt-% of paraffin by total weight, wherein up to 30 wt-% of the paraffin in the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is i-paraffin, In a first reaction section, preferably in a first reactor, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is subjected to hydrogen isomerization in the presence of a hydrogen isomerization catalyst to obtain a hydrogen isomerized effluent. The feed to the second reaction section, which includes at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent, is subjected to hydrocracking in the second reaction section, preferably the second reactor, in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst, to obtain the hydrocracking effluent. The hydrocracking effluent, and optionally at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent, are to be fractionated to recover at least gasoline fuel components and optionally aviation fuel components from the fraction. It can be obtained or acquired by a process that includes it.

[0061] Other products, such as diesel fuel components, can also be recovered upon request.

[0062] Preferably, the process has a T5 temperature of preferably 270°C or higher (5 vol-% recovery, EN ISO3405-2019) and further comprises recovering a recirculating flow from the fraction, optionally containing C16n-paraffin. The recirculating flow may be included in at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent or may form at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent that is subjected to hydrocracking in a second reaction section, preferably a second reactor. In other words, the recirculating flow can be subjected to hydrocracking in a second reaction section, preferably a second reactor, as part of the feed for the second reaction section. The recirculating flow may include at least a portion of the fractionated bottom. In embodiments in which the recirculating flow is separated, the yield of the desired liquid fuel component can be further optimized, particularly in embodiments in which the feed for the second reaction section to hydrocracking includes a further portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent in addition to the recirculating flow. In embodiments in which the recirculating flow is separated, the diesel fuel component can be conveniently recovered by separating a portion from the recirculating flow.

[0063] In this process, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed comprises at least 60 wt-%, preferably at least 70 wt-%, more preferably at least 80 wt-%, and even more preferably at least 90 wt-%, of the total weight of the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed. The paraffinic hydrocarbon feed of this disclosure may even comprise at least 95 wt-%, of the total weight of the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed, or may consist essentially of paraffin. The paraffinic hydrocarbon feed of this disclosure may contain small amounts, preferably less than 5 wt-%, more preferably less than 1 wt-%, of olefins, and small amounts of aromatics and / or naphthenes, based on the total weight of the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed.

[0064] The advantage of using a high-paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock in the process of this disclosure is that paraffins are isomerized relatively easily and under milder conditions when subjected to hydrogen isomerization, compared to, for example, cyclic hydrocarbons. Furthermore, paraffins decompose relatively easily and under mild conditions when subjected to hydrocracking, which helps reduce the formation of light gases.

[0065] In this process, a paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock containing at least 60 wt-% paraffin by weight, of which up to 30 wt-% is i-paraffin, can be obtained from paraffin hydrogenation effluents such as hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) effluents, paraffinic Fischer-Tropsch (FT) effluents, or combinations thereof, after subjecting the effluents to at least gas-liquid separation, i.e., removal of compounds that are gaseous at least in NTP, and optionally paraffinic feedstock fractionation. For example, fossil-derived paraffinic FT effluents are readily available (in addition to renewable-derived FT effluents), but preferably, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks of this disclosure contain at least partially renewable, i.e., biogenic components.

[0066] Preferably, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks of this disclosure include, or essentially consist of, a hydrogenated hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) effluent or a portion thereof from catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (catalytic HDO) of an oxygenated hydrocarbon feedstock, for example, a degassed hydrodeoxygenation effluent or a portion thereof. Preferably, the oxygenated hydrocarbon feedstock includes at least one of vegetable oils, animal fats and / or microbial oils. This type of paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock tends to have a relatively narrow carbon number distribution and therefore benefits more from being subjected to the processes of the present invention compared to, for example, FT-based feedstocks which typically have a substantially Gaussian distribution of hydrocarbon chains and a broad carbon chain length distribution. Typically, providing a paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock includes subjecting an oxygenated hydrocarbon feedstock to hydrodeoxygenation in the presence of a hydrodeoxygenation catalyst to obtain a hydrodeoxygenation effluent, and then subjecting the hydrodeoxygenation effluent to gas-liquid separation and optionally paraffinic feedstock fractionation to obtain a paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstock, which is the degassed hydrodeoxygenation effluent or a fraction thereof. Hydrogenation may be carried out as described in prior art publications, for example, Finnish Patent No. 100248, European Patent Application Publication No. 1741768, European Patent No. 2155838, or Finnish Patent No. 129220.

[0067] In general, in the context of this disclosure, the hydrogen isomerization (HI) of a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed in a first reaction section / reactor is operated such that the isomerization reaction is dominant while the decomposition reaction is controlled or suppressed. Typically, the HI in the first reaction section / reactor is achieved at a temperature in the range of 200°C to 500°C, preferably 230°C to 500°C, more preferably 250°C to 450°C, and even more preferably 280°C to 400°C; a pressure in the range of 1 MPa to 10 MPa, preferably 2 MPa to 8 MPa or 3 MPa to 10 MPa; a partial pressure of H2 at the inlet of the first reaction section / reactor in the range of 1 MPa to 10 MPa, preferably 2 MPa to 8 MPa; a gravitational space velocity in the range of 0.1 to 10, preferably 0.2 to 8, more preferably 0.4 to 6 kg paraffinic hydrocarbon feed / kg catalyst / hour; and an H2 to paraffinic hydrocarbon feed ratio in the range of 10 to 2000, preferably 50 to 1000 n-liters H2 / liter paraffinic hydrocarbon feed. Hydrogen isomerization may be carried out as described in prior art publications, e.g., Finnish Patent No. 100248, European Patent Application Publication No. 1741768, European Patent No. 2155838, or Finnish Patent No. 129220. The degree of HI can be increased by at least one of the following: decreasing the WHSV, increasing the temperature, and / or increasing the pressure. When using a fresh HI catalyst, high HI conditions can be reached at lower temperatures and / or pressures, and / or with higher WHSVs, and towards the end of the HI catalyst lifetime, even a moderate degree of HI may require higher temperatures and / or pressures, and / or lower WHSVs.In this context, HIs that produce liquid spills with a total i-paraffin content of 50–85 wt-% and a maximum of 25 wt-% branched i-paraffin content, or a total i-paraffin content of 85–95 wt-% and a branched i-paraffin content of 25–55 wt-%, or a total i-paraffin content of at least 95 wt-% and a branched i-paraffin content exceeding 55 wt-%, are generally considered low, medium, or high HIs, respectively. However, these content ranges are merely indicative, overlap to some extent, and may vary.

[0068] Generally, the hydrocracking in the second reaction section / reactor is operated so that the reaction that enhances the degree of decomposition, particularly for C8-C14 hydrocarbons as well as lighter non-gaseous hydrocarbons, is more abundant than the hydrogen isomerization in the first reaction section / reactor. Preferably, the reaction that enhances the degree of decomposition, particularly for more effective decomposition, is dominant in the hydrocracking in the second reaction section / reactor, but generally there is no excessive decomposition and excessive fuel gas formation. Typically, hydrogenolysis in the second reaction section / reactor is carried out at a temperature in the range of 200°C to 450°C, preferably 220°C to 430°C, more preferably 280°C to 350°C; a pressure in the range of 0.4 MPa to 8 MPa, preferably 1 MPa to 7 MPa; a partial pressure of H2 at the inlet of the second reaction section / reactor in the range of 0.4 MPa to 8 MPa, preferably 1 MPa to 7 MPa; a gravitational space velocity in the range of 0.1 to 10, preferably 0.2 to 8, more preferably 0.4 to 6, even more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 kg of second reactor feed / kg catalyst / hour; and an H2 to second reactor feed ratio in the range of 10 to 2000, preferably 50 to 1000 normal liters of H2 / liter of second reactor feed.

[0069] Preferably, the hydrogen isomerization catalyst is a non-sulfidation binary-function hydrogen isomerization catalyst, and the hydrocracking catalyst is a non-sulfidation binary-function hydrocracking catalyst, preferably the non-sulfidation binary-function catalyst comprising at least one metal selected from Group VIII noble metals, more preferably at least one metal selected from Pt and / or Pd, and at least one acidic porous material. Non-sulfidation binary-function catalysts are preferred because they do not require sulfidation during operation to maintain their activity, and therefore can keep the sulfur content of various process flows and products low, which is preferable to less efficient H2S separation and recovery. In particular, non-sulfidation binary-function catalysts containing noble metals may be active at lower temperatures and may exhibit higher selectivity for isomerization reactions compared to sulfidation catalysts, but are sensitive to deactivation by H2S. In particular, in hydrocracking reactions in the second reaction section / reactor, binary-function HC catalysts are beneficial because they have at least some isomerization activity in addition to decomposition activity and can be particularly efficient in effective decomposition. As a further advantage, a dual-function hydrocracking catalyst containing at least one metal selected from Group VIII noble metals, preferably Pt and / or Pd, has been found to offer higher activity at relatively low temperatures compared to HC catalysts containing non-noble metals, and therefore better control of thermal decomposition. At low temperatures, the thermodynamic equilibrium tends to shift towards dearomatization, thus reducing the formation of aromatics by side reactions. By providing a dual-function HC catalyst in a second reaction section / reactor, it can also be achieved that the isoparaffin content (wt-% isoparaffin of total weight paraffins) in the hydrocracking effluent is not necessarily significantly lower than that in the hydrogen isomerization effluent, or may be the same or even higher.

[0070] According to a particular preferred embodiment, the gasoline fuel component provides a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed comprising an oxygenated hydrocarbon feed containing at least one of vegetable oils, animal fats and / or microbial oils, subjected to hydrodeoxygenation followed by gas-liquid separation, wherein the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed contains at least 60 wt-% paraffin by total weight, and up to 30 wt-% of the paraffin in the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is i-paraffin. In a first reaction section, preferably in a first reactor, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is subjected to hydrogen isomerization in the presence of a hydrogen isomerization catalyst to obtain a hydrogen isomerized effluent. A second reaction section feed, which optionally includes a recirculating flow and contains at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent, is subjected to hydrocracking in the second reaction section, preferably the second reactor, in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst, to obtain the hydrocracking effluent. The hydrocracking effluent is subjected to fractionation, and from the fraction, at least gasoline fuel components, and optionally aviation fuel components, and / or preferably a recirculated flow having a T5 temperature of 270°C or higher (5 vol-% recovery, EN ISO3405-2019), It can be obtained through a process that includes this.

[0071] The dominant component in paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks is n-paraffin. However, the presence of a certain amount of i-paraffin in paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks can still be beneficial. Compared to feedstocks that are similar except for the absence of i-paraffin, paraffinic hydrocarbon feedstocks containing a certain amount of i-paraffin can achieve hydrogen isomerized effluents with a higher content of polybranched i-paraffin.

[0072] Preferably, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feeds of this disclosure contain at least 70 wt-%, preferably at least 80 wt-%, more preferably at least 90 wt-%, of the total weight of the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed, hydrocarbons having a carbon number in the range of C12 to C30, and even more preferably in the range of C14 to C22. These feeds enable good yields of two or more different types of fuel components and are readily available, for example, from conventional hydrodeoxygenation processes of vegetable oils, animal fats and / or microbial oils containing fatty acids. On the heavier side of paraffinic feeds, they can be obtained from HDOs of oils from energy crops such as Brassica species, algal oils, crude tall oil (CTO), tall oil fatty acids (TOFA), and / or tall oil pitch (TOP).

[0073] The presence of highly branched i-paraffins in hydrogen isomerized effluents may be considered beneficial because it can positively contribute to the degree of effective cracking in the hydrocracking step. In particular, if the desired degree of effective cracking of lighter non-gaseous hydrocarbons, as well as C8-C14 hydrocarbons, is achieved in the hydrocracking step under milder operating conditions, excessive cracking can be avoided and the formation of gaseous hydrocarbons can be reduced. Furthermore, an increase in the content of highly branched i-paraffins in hydrogen isomerized effluents may be considered beneficial in that it can provide improved RON to gasoline fuel components, as well as improved low-temperature properties to at least one or more additional fuel components to be recovered as desired, such as aviation fuel components and / or diesel fuel components. Although not bound by any theory, highly branched i-paraffins are more likely to form two branched paraffin molecules instead of one branch and one n-paraffin during cracking in the hydrocracking step, and therefore the i-paraffin content of the hydrocracking effluents is considered to increase relative to the n-paraffin content. The same phenomenon can be observed downstream of the product recovered from the fraction, and optionally in the recirculated flow recovered as well.

[0074] According to certain embodiments, a first reaction section for hydrogen isomerization and a second reaction section for hydrocracking may be located within the same reactor, for example, in separate catalyst beds equipped with appropriate apparatus for them. According to certain other embodiments, the first reaction section for hydrogen isomerization is located in a first reactor, and the second reaction section for hydrocracking is located in a second reactor. Having the hydrogen isomerization section in the first reactor and the hydrocracking section in the second reactor offers advantages in process design, process control, and maintenance.

[0075] Preferably, at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent subjected to hydrocracking contains at least 50 wt-%, more preferably at least 60 wt-%, more preferably at least 70 wt-%, and even more preferably at least 80 wt-%, isoparaffins of the total paraffin amount in at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent, and optionally at least 5 wt-%, preferably at least 10 wt-%, more preferably at least 15 wt-%, and even more preferably at least 20 wt-%, typically up to 70 wt-%, of polybranched isoparaffins of the total paraffin amount in at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent. Typically, at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent has a cloud point below 0°C, preferably below -5°C, more preferably below -8°C, even more preferably below -10°C, or below -15°C (ASTM D5771-17).

[0076] Hydrocracking of at least a portion of the hydrogen isomerized effluent increases the yield of non-gaseous cracking products, particularly C8-C14, but also increases the yield of lighter non-gaseous hydrocarbons that contribute to the yield of gasoline fuel components. Since feed for hydrocracking may contain high i-paraffin content and high multi-branched i-paraffin content, the inventors have found that hydrocracking can generate additional i-paraffins instead of reducing the amount of less valuable lighter C1-C3 hydrocarbons, without excessive cracking.

[0077] The advantageous hydrocarbon composition of this gasoline fuel component is demonstrated in end-use as beneficial combustion in engines, particularly with respect to the carbon number distribution and the content of i-paraffins and n-paraffins. When studied under laboratory conditions, properties that correlate with desirable properties of the fuel are, for example, the shape of the distillation curve and the distillation characteristics. The T10 and T90 temperatures reported in the examples, and the difference between them, will immediately reveal to those skilled in the art the suitability of the gasoline for spark-ignition engines and the predictable performance in spark-ignition engines. Accordingly, according to certain embodiments, gasoline fuel components are provided herein in which the difference between the T90 temperature (90 vol-% recovered, ASTM D7096-19) and the T10 temperature (10 vol-% recovered, ASTM D7096-19) is at least 60°C, more preferably at least 70°C, even more preferably at least 80°C or at least 100°C, for example, in the range of 60 to 140°C. Preferably, the gasoline fuel component has a T90 temperature (90 vol-% recovery, ASTM D7096-19) in the range of 95 to 150°C, preferably in the range of 95 to 140°C, more preferably in the range of 95 to 130°C, in order to actively contribute to the octane number of the gasoline fuel component and enable the recovery of the aviation fuel component in high yield from the same production process.

[0078] Fractionation such that C8i-paraffin is recovered in the gasoline fuel component and C8n-paraffin, which has a higher boiling point, is recovered mainly in the aviation fuel component contributes to and / or can further increase the high weight ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin in this gasoline fuel component. By carefully selecting the cut point in fractionation, the recovery of C8n-paraffin in the gasoline fuel component can be reduced without significantly reducing the yield of the gasoline component. In this way, a gasoline fuel component with an even higher weight ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin can be obtained without excessively or thoroughly increasing the degree of branching. Other properties that follow the gasoline component relate to volatility, vapor pressure, and flash point. Typical measures that reflect the above properties include the E70 and E150 values. For gasoline compositions, the E70 value defines the percentage (vol-%) that evaporated at 70°C at standard atmospheric pressure. Standardized methods for determining the E70, E100, and E150 values ​​of gasoline compositions are defined in EN ISO 3405:2011. Due to the carbon number distribution and content of i-paraffins and n-paraffins in these gasoline fuel components, the blend is not limited by vapor pressure.

[0079] In a further embodiment, the gasoline fuel component may be used in a gasoline fuel composition. A higher i-paraffin content and an improved i-paraffin profile contribute to an improved RON, which allows the gasoline fuel component to be incorporated into the gasoline fuel in greater quantities compared to, for example, biomass-derived transport fuels suitable for use in currently available spark-ignition engines (such currently available fuels have a lower RON). Compared to aromatic blend components, the gasoline fuel component results in lower emissions. Furthermore, the gasoline fuel component may help increase the bio content of the gasoline fuel composition. In addition, each of the increases in i-paraffin content, i-paraffin to n-paraffin weight ratio, and multi-branched i-paraffin to n-paraffin weight ratio helps to reduce the viscosity of the gasoline fuel component, thereby improving its mixability and blendability with further components contained in the gasoline fuel composition.

[0080] Compared to ethanol, the dominant bio-component currently blended into gasoline compositions, this gasoline component exhibits lower hygroscopicity. Furthermore, in the distillation of gasoline blends, ethanol as a blending component shows a steeper gradient at approximately 70°C, resulting in a significant angle to the distillation curve and leading to challenges in meeting gasoline composition requirements, such as those specified in EN228:2012 as amended in 2017. In contrast, this gasoline fuel component in blends can provide a nearly linear distillation curve. Unlike ethanol and other oxygen-containing additives, there are no regulatory blending restrictions on paraffinic blending components such as this gasoline fuel component. Therefore, this gasoline fuel component is a highly desirable alternative blending component for gasoline fuels and is expected to be beneficial to both the manufacturers and end-users of gasoline fuel compositions.

[0081] The beneficial vapor pressure characteristics of this gasoline fuel component allow for the use of cheaper, lighter blend components such as butane in gasoline fuel compositions, but this is not an option when other components with higher vapor pressure, such as ethanol, are used as bio-components.

[0082] When used in a gasoline fuel composition, this gasoline fuel component may be blended with at least one further component. These may originate, for example, from various sources and / or hydrocarbon refining processes, typically recovered therefrom by distillation. Examples of such processes include FCC, reforming, alkylation, pyrolysis, steam cracking, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodesulfurization, isomerization, or combinations thereof. Thus, in addition to this gasoline fuel component, the gasoline fuel composition may contain at least one of alcohols, ethers and / or hydrocarbon cuts, preferably methanol, ethanol, propanol, i-propanol, butanol, i-butanol, tert-butanol, pentanol, i-pentanol, MTBE, ETBE, DIPE, TAME, TAEE, butane, alkylate gasoline, isomerate, raffinate, FCC gasoline, reformed oil, pygas and / or light straight run (LSR) gasoline. In terms of high octane rating and biocarbon content, particularly good gasoline fuel compositions can be obtained when the maximum amount of bio-derived oxygenated gasoline fuel component, preferably bio-derived ethanol, and the maximum amount of renewable gasoline fuel component, permitted by the required minimum octane rating, are blended with fossil hydrocarbon cuts. The gasoline fuel composition may further contain at least one or more additives, preferably at least one of antioxidants, stabilizers, surfactants, corrosion inhibitors, friction modifiers, metal deactivators, and / or fuel dyes. Blends containing three or more additional components are typical. Examples of gasoline fuel compositions include, to name a few exemplary gasoline fuel compositions, the gasoline fuel component, ethanol, alkylate gasoline, antioxidants and stabilizers, or the gasoline fuel component, ethanol, LSR gasoline, antioxidants, stabilizers and surfactants, or the gasoline fuel component, MTBE, Pygas, FCC gasoline, antioxidants, stabilizers, friction modifiers and surfactants.

[0083] According to certain embodiments, by blending gasoline fuel components, the gasoline fuel composition meets the gasoline fuel requirements set forth in Directive 2009 / 30 / EC and, optionally, EN228:2012 as amended in 2017.

[0084] According to certain embodiments, the gasoline fuel composition contains the gasoline fuel component in an amount of 1 to 25 vol-%, preferably 1 to 20 vol-%, of the total volume of the gasoline fuel composition. If the gasoline fuel component has a high bio-content, the gasoline fuel component alone provides a significant bio-content to the gasoline fuel composition. The bio-content can be further enhanced if the gasoline fuel composition contains the gasoline fuel component in an amount of 1 to 25 vol-%, preferably 1 to 20 vol-%, of the total volume of the gasoline fuel composition, and up to 20 vol-%, or up to 10 vol-%, of ethanol, preferably bioethanol, of the total volume of the gasoline fuel composition. In the case of such a gasoline fuel composition, even at a height of 45 vol-%, it may be renewable by providing a bio-derived carbon content of more than 40 wt-%, based on the total weight (TC) of carbon in the gasoline fuel component (EN 16640 (2017)). Particularly promising gasoline fuel compositions contain the gasoline fuel component in an amount of about 10 vol-%, of the total volume of the gasoline fuel composition, and about 10 vol-%, of bioethanol.

[0085] In addition to its usefulness in gasoline fuel compositions, this gasoline fuel component is suitable for a wide variety of other applications, such as in raw materials for industrial conversion processes, preferably in pyrolysis raw materials and / or catalytic cracking raw materials, in solvents, carriers, dispersant compositions, demulsifiers, extractants, surfactants, degreasing compositions, detergents, thinners, penetrating oils, corrosion inhibitors, multipurpose oils, in compositions for metalworking, agriculture, construction, electronics, medical devices, automotive, electrical, textile, packaging, paper and / or pharmaceutical industries, and / or in the manufacture of intermediates for these purposes. The high isoparaffin-to-n-paraffin ratio of this gasoline fuel composition can reduce viscosity and improve pumping and mixing properties, as well as blendability, which are generally desired and beneficial properties in a wide range of applications, especially those involving spraying, injection and / or mixing with other components. Due to generally meeting the most important specifications of light naphtha and / or gasoline, which are commonly used as industrial raw materials in large quantities, this gasoline fuel composition can be used in the same applications without requiring modifications to existing equipment or facilities. The use of this gasoline fuel component is particularly preferred in thermal and / or catalytic cracking raw materials for producing olefin monomers, especially ethylene and / or propylene, because the very low content of cyclic substances helps reduce the formation of coke-forming aromatics, the very high paraffin content helps improve conversion to light olefins even under less severe cracking conditions, and the high i-paraffin content is expected to favorably contribute to the production of a favorable propylene-to-ethylene product ratio in these processes.

[0086] Outline of the process Figure 1 schematically illustrates a process according to an exemplary embodiment for producing the gasoline fuel component. In Figure 1, the oxygenated hydrocarbon feed 110 is fed into an HDO reactor 120, where it is subjected to hydrodeoxygenation in the presence of an HDO catalyst 130 to obtain a hydrodeoxygenated effluent (HDO effluent) 140. The obtained HDO effluent 140 is subjected to a gas-liquid separator 150 to separate a compound 160 that is gaseous at least NTP from the HDO effluent to obtain a degassed HDO effluent 170, which in this exemplary embodiment is a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed as defined herein. The degassed HDO flue 170 is then fed to a first reactor 180 in Figure 1, where it is subjected to hydrogen isomerization in the presence of a hydrogen isomerization catalyst 190 to obtain a hydrogen isomerized flue (HI flue) 200. The obtained HI flue 200 is subjected to a gas-liquid separator 210 to separate compound 220, which is gaseous at least NTP, from the HI flue 200 to obtain a degassed HI flue 230. In Figure 1, the degassed HI flue 230 is fed to a distillation unit 240, which may include a single column or pre-fractionation and main distillation columns, from which several flows or cuts are obtained. From the distillation in Figure 1, gasoline fuel components 250, as well as aviation fuel components 260 and / or diesel fuel components 270 are recovered. Furthermore, a recirculated flow 280 having a T5 boiling point of 270°C or higher is separated in Figure 1. The feed for the second reaction section, including the recirculated flow 280 as at least a portion of the HI effluent, is fed to the second reactor 290 in Figure 1, where it is subjected to hydrocracking in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst 300 to obtain the recirculated effluent (hydrocracking effluent) 310. In Figure 1, the recirculated effluent 310 is subjected to a gas-liquid separator 320 to separate compound 330, which is at least NTP gaseous, from the recirculated effluent 310 to obtain the degassed recirculated effluent 340. The degassed recirculated effluent 340 is then fed to the distillation unit 240 for fractionation as a cofeed with the degassed HI effluent 230 in Figure 1.In certain embodiments, yet another portion of the HI effluent 200 or 230 may be supplied to the hydrocracking in the second reactor 290 as a co-feed 500 with the recirculation flow 280, i.e., as part of the feed for the second reaction section.

[0087] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a process according to another exemplary embodiment for producing the gasoline fuel component. In Figure 2, the oxygenated hydrocarbon feed 110 is fed into an HDO reactor 120, where it is subjected to hydrodeoxygenation in the presence of an HDO catalyst 130 to obtain a hydrodeoxygenated effluent (HDO effluent) 140. The obtained HDO effluent 140 is subjected to a gas-liquid separator 150 to separate a compound 160 that is gaseous at least NTP from the HDO effluent to obtain a degassed HDO effluent 170, which in this exemplary embodiment is a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed as defined herein. The degassed HDO effluent 170 is then fed into a first reactor 180 in Figure 2, where it is subjected to hydrogen isomerization in the presence of a hydrogen isomerization catalyst 190 to obtain a hydrogen isomerized effluent (HI effluent) 200. The obtained HI effluent 200 is subjected to a gas-liquid separator 210 in Figure 2 to separate compound 220, which is at least gaseous at NTP, from the HI effluent 200, yielding degassed HI effluent 230. In Figure 2, the degassed HI effluent 230 is fed to a second reactor 290, where it is subjected to hydrocracking in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst 300 to yield hydrocracking effluent 350. In Figure 2, the hydrocracking effluent 350 is subjected to a gas-liquid separator 360 to separate compound 370, which is at least gaseous at NTP, from the hydrocracking effluent 350, yielding degassed hydrocracking effluent 380. In Figure 2, the feedstock of the second reaction section, including the degassed hydrocracking effluent 380, is fed to a distillation unit 240, which may include a single column or pre-fractionation and main distillation columns, from which several flows or cuts may be obtained. From the distillation shown in Figure 2, gasoline fuel component 390, as well as aviation fuel component 400 and / or diesel fuel component 410, are recovered. Furthermore, a recirculating flow 420 having a T5 boiling point of preferably 270°C or higher can be separated. In Figure 2, the recirculating flow 420 can be fed to the second reactor 290 for hydrocracking as a co-feed with at least a portion of the degassed HI effluent 230, i.e., as part of the feed for the second reaction section.In certain embodiments, yet another portion of the HI effluent 200 or 230 may be supplied to the fraction as a co-feed 500 with the hydrocracking effluent 350 or 380. [Examples]

[0088] Example 1 - Production of this gasoline fuel component The gasoline fuel components studied herein were recovered from test runs. Here, two different types of fatty raw materials were subjected to hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and gas-liquid separation to obtain a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed containing >95 wt-% paraffin of the total weight of the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed. The paraffinic hydrocarbon feed was then subjected to different degrees of hydrogen isomerization (HI) to obtain three different hydrocracking (HC) feeds (feeds A, B, and C). The hydrogen isomerized effluent fraction, obtained by degassing the hydrogen isomerized effluent or by recovering only the bottom fraction of the hydrogen isomerized effluent, was hydrocracked, and the effluent from the hydrocracking was subsequently degassed. From the hydrocracking effluent thus obtained, regenerative aviation fuel components were recovered as the main product, and at least gasoline fuel components were recovered as further products of particular interest here. One of the hydrocracking effluents (Test Run 8) was subjected to a second fractionation using a method optimized to increase the yield of aviation fuel components (Test Run 8 using the optimized fraction, TR8o). Details of the hydrocracking feed are shown in Table 1, and Table 2 shows details of the hydrocracking process as well as the approximate boiling point range and yield of the gasoline fuel components.

[0089] [Table 1]

[0090] In Table 1, nP represents n-paraffin, iP represents i-paraffin, and branched iP represents branched i-paraffin.

[0091] [Table 2]

[0092] In all test runs, the hydrocracking catalyst used was a non-sulfur-containing binary hydrocracking catalyst containing Pt on a zeolite / zeolite-type material. When the feeds reported in Table 1 were subjected to the hydrocracking conditions reported in Table 2, the catalyst exhibited not only decomposition activity but also isomerization activity.

[0093] The gasoline fuel components are produced in good yield, and generally, the yield is higher at higher hydrocracking temperatures, lower WHSV, and / or higher endpoints, such as those represented by T95 or FBP.

[0094] Example 2 - Chemical composition and distillation characteristics of the gasoline fuel component. The gasoline fuel components G1-G7 recovered in Example 1 were evaluated based on their hydrocarbon composition (Tables 3 and 4) and distillation characteristics (Table 5). Comparison was made with conventional paraffinic gasoline components (reference gasoline, RG) obtained by subjecting fatty raw materials to HDO, moderate HI, degassing, and fractionation, i.e., without hydrocracking. Hydrocarbon composition analysis was performed using detailed hydrocarbon analysis including identification of individual components (hydrocarbon groups [i-paraffin, n-paraffin, naphthene, aromatic, olefin] and carbon number [C#]). Examples of analyzed volume occupancy are shown in Tables 3 and 4. The methods used were in-house methods adapted from standard methods ASTMD6729 and ENISO22854.

[0095] In addition to the volume occupancy of i- and n-paraffins and highly branched i-paraffins, further properties such as the i-to-n-paraffin ratio and average carbon number of C4-C9i- and n-paraffins were calculated (Tables 3 and 4). Average carbon number of i- and n-paraffins in the C4-C9 range C avg This was calculated by multiplying the volume occupancy C#vol of each carbon number, and further distinguished based on the hydrocarbon group (i-paraffin, n-paraffin). From these, the average number of carbon atoms in i- and n-paraffins in the C4-C9 range was calculated using the following formula.

[0096]

number

[0097] As an example of the above calculation, the average number of carbon atoms in sample G7's C4-C9n paraffins (5.8) and C4-C9i paraffins (7.0) were calculated as follows:

[0098]

number

[0099] Accordingly, the average number of carbon atoms in the other samples was calculated.

[0100] [Table 3]

[0101] In Table 3, the NOA column shows the total amount of naphthenes, olefins, and aromatics; C# indicates the number of carbon atoms; C6~9m-iP indicates the amount of branched i-paraffins in the C6~C9 range; and Average C#C4~9 indicates the calculated average number of carbon atoms of n-paraffins and i-paraffins in the C4~C9 range.

[0102] [Table 4]

[0103] In Table 4, the NOA column shows the total amount of naphthenes, olefins, and aromatics; C# indicates the number of carbon atoms; C6~9m-iP indicates the amount of branched i-paraffins in the C6~C9 range; and Average C#C4~9 indicates the calculated average number of carbon atoms of n-paraffins and isoparaffins in the C4~C9 range.

[0104] [Table 5]

[0105] Tables 3 and 4 show that gasoline fuel components G1-G7 have a significantly higher ratio of C8i-paraffins to C8n-paraffins (approximately 2 to 7 times higher) compared to the paraffinic reference gasoline RG, and simultaneously contain a considerable amount of C8 paraffins. Similarly, gasoline fuel components G1-G7 have a significantly higher ratio of C6-C8i-paraffins to C6-C8n-paraffins (at least 2 times higher) compared to the paraffinic reference gasoline RG, and simultaneously contain mainly C6-C8 paraffins. Gasoline fuel components G1-G7 also have a moderate average carbon number of over 6.0 units for i-paraffins in the C4-C9 range and a low average carbon number of less than 6.0 units for n-paraffins in the C4-C9 range, which is at least 0.7 units lower than the average carbon number of each of the C4-C9 i-paraffins. The measured samples of the gasoline fuel components according to this disclosure have a high multi-branched C6-C9i-paraffin content of >6.0% and even >10% compared to <5.0% in reference gasoline RG, while simultaneously containing mainly C4-C9i-paraffins. Furthermore, the amount of n-hexane is significantly lower in the gasoline fuel components according to this disclosure compared to reference gasoline RG. Table 5 shows that gasoline fuel compositions G1-G7 exhibit relatively linear distillation behavior, which is beneficial, for example, in terms of combustion characteristics. The boiling point ranges reported in Table 5 indicate that the gasoline fuel components do not exhibit a narrow cut, but rather that the majority of the component volume boils over a fairly wide temperature range. Therefore, the gasoline fuel components can be recovered in higher yields.

[0106] Example 3 - Octane rating of the gasoline fuel component The properties listed in Tables 3 and 4 are closely related to the octane rating of gasoline fuel components. More specifically, it was observed that a higher degree of isomerization, a higher amount of i-paraffin, and a lower average carbon number of paraffins in the C4-C9 range resulted in a higher octane rating. A higher octane rating is desired for use in gasoline fuel compositions intended for use as liquid transport fuels.

[0107] Blend RON (ENISO 5164-2014 corresponds to ASTMD 2699-18) and Blend MON (ENISO 5163-2014 corresponds to ASTMD 2700-19) were determined from the paraffinic reference gasoline component RG and from three test run samples G3, G5, and G7 produced under similar conditions. The main difference between these test run samples was the end-cut point (approximately 100°C, 120°C, and 150°C) (Table 6).

[0108] The quality of the gasoline fuel component was found to be influenced at least by process parameters. Higher temperatures and lower WHSV in hydrocracking promoted higher i-paraffin content in the C4–C9 paraffin range and a slightly lower average carbon number compared to samples with similar distillation ranges. Judging from the set quality parameters, better gasoline fuel components were obtained at higher hydrocracking temperatures and lower WHSV. Due to the small sample volume, the octane was determined from a blend with a commercially available gasoline component with a high i-paraffin content, referred to as the "second component." The blend octane number of the bRON sample was calculated using the following formula:

[0109]

number

[0110] The blended RON and MON values ​​for sample G5 (cut at 120°C) of the gasoline fuel component were 66.7 and 55.5, respectively. The corresponding values ​​for sample G7 (cut at 150°C) were 59.1 and 56.7. Sample G7 had a higher i-paraffin content and i-to-n-paraffin ratio, but the average carbon number was higher for both i- and n-paraffins. The average carbon number of paraffins in the C4-C9 range, particularly C4-C9n-paraffins, appeared to have a greater impact on RON than the i-paraffin content. The reference gasoline RG characteristics describing product quality were inferior to those of the test run gasoline fuel components. The measured test run gasoline fuel components (samples G3, G5, and G7) had significantly higher blended octane numbers than the reference gasoline RG (bRON=46.8 and bMON=45.3) determined from similar blends using the same method.

[0111] Comparing the bRON and bMON results of samples derived from hydrocracking feeds B and C reveals the influence of hydrocracking feed characteristics (reported in Table 1) and the chemical composition of gasoline fuel components (reported in Tables 3 and 4) on the quality of gasoline fuel components with respect to octane number (reported in Table 6). The most promising gasoline fuel component from hydrocracking feed B (G3) was compared with two gasoline fuel components from hydrocracking feeds C (G5 and G7). These gasoline fuel component samples were obtained under similar process conditions (with slight variations in hydrocracking temperature). Paraffin content was very similar between samples despite the different endcut points of the gasoline fuel components. C4-C9i-paraffin content ranged from 68-71 vol-%, and n-paraffin was 26-29 vol-%. Relative multi-branched i-paraffin content increased with increasing endcut points of the gasoline fuel component samples, suggesting that longer paraffins underwent a higher degree of isomerization during the process. When compared again to the same paraffin-based reference gasoline RG, it had a lower C4-C9i-paraffin content of approximately 49 vol-% and a higher n-paraffin content of approximately 42 vol-%.

[0112] [Table 6]

[0113] The difference in bRON can be partially explained by evaluating the carbon number distribution (Tables 3 and 4). However, while the analyzed samples G3, G5, and G7 have similarly low C4-C9n-paraffin average carbon numbers (5.7-5.9), there is more variation in the C4-C9i-paraffin average carbon number (6.6-7.0). The reference gasoline fuel component RG has a similar C4-C9i-paraffin average carbon number to G3, G5, and G7, but has a much higher C4-C9 range n-paraffin average carbon number (6.3). As mentioned above, the RON value increases with the degree of isomerization and lower carbon numbers (shorter carbon chain lengths). Therefore, one key differentiating factor between the octane number of the gasoline fuel components in this disclosure and the octane number of the reference gasoline fuel components was the average n-paraffin carbon number in the C4-C9 range. The G3 and G7 gasoline fuel components had similar blended octane ratings, but the average i-paraffin carbon number in the C4–C9 range was lower in the G3 gasoline fuel component, which was balanced by the lower average n-paraffin carbon number in the C4–C9 range of the G7 gasoline fuel component. The C4 content was relatively high in the G5 and G7 gasoline fuel components and significantly contributed to the average n-paraffin carbon number in the C4–C9 range and the measured octane rating. Based on the available information, the amount of C4 compounds cannot be attributed to the hydrocracking feed used, as it may have been influenced by, for example, different degassing and / or distillation procedures used to obtain the product, resulting in differences from the selected IBP.

[0114] Based on hydrocracking test runs with different feeds, it can be said that the feed has some influence on the quality of the gasoline fuel components. Gasoline fuel components obtained by processes involving hydrocracking with paraffinic flows having a high degree of isomerization have a much better octane number than, among other things, paraffinic reference gasoline components. Overall, the test runs showed that lower WHSV and / or higher temperatures in hydrocracking improve the gasoline fuel component yield and can also improve the properties for gasoline fuel applications by reducing the influence of the hydrocracking feed, while lower distillation endpoints (e.g., T90, T95 and / or FBP) and lower average carbon numbers of paraffins in the C4-C9 range, especially n-paraffins in the C4-C9 range, and lower average carbon numbers can improve the octane number.

[0115] Various embodiments are presented. It should be understood that in this specification, the terms "equip," "include," and "contain" are used as intended non-exclusive, open-ended expressions.

[0116] The foregoing description has provided a complete and useful description of the best mode currently envisioned by the inventors to carry out the invention, as specific embodiments and non-limiting examples of embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the embodiments presented above and can be implemented in other embodiments or in different combinations of embodiments using equivalent means without departing from the features of the invention. Furthermore, some of the features of the exemplary embodiments disclosed above can be advantageously used without corresponding use of other features. Therefore, the foregoing description should be considered merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and not limiting the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A gasoline fuel component obtained from a renewable source, comprising n-paraffin, single-branched i-paraffin and multi-branched i-paraffin, The total amount of C4-C9n-paraffins, C4-C9 single-branched i-paraffins, and C4-C9 multi-branched i-paraffins exceeds 90 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel components. A gasoline fuel component having a weight ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin of at least 4.

0.

2. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of C8n-paraffin and C8i-paraffin is at least 1.0 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component.

3. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the gasoline fuel component comprises at least 0.1 wt-% of C8n-paraffin, and / or the ratio of C8i-paraffin to C8n-paraffin is at most 70.

4. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the gasoline fuel component comprises at least C6, C7, and C8 paraffins, and the weight ratio of C6-C8i-paraffins to C6-C8n-paraffins is at least 2.

7.

5. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of C6-C8n-paraffins and C6-C8i-paraffins is at least 50 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component.

6. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of C6-C9 multi-branched i-paraffin to C6-C9n-paraffin is at least 0.

2.

7. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, comprising at least 50 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component in C4-C9i-paraffin and / or at least 5 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component in C6-C9 multibranched i-paraffin.

8. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of C4-C9n-paraffin, C4-C9 single-branched i-paraffin, and C4-C9 multi-branched i-paraffin is greater than 93 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component.

9. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the bRON of the gasoline fuel component is determined in accordance with ASTM D2699-18 to be at least 51, and / or the bMON of the gasoline fuel component is determined in accordance with ASTM D2700-19 to be at least 48.

10. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the average number of carbon atoms in the C4-C9i paraffin is greater than 6.0, and / or the average number of carbon atoms in the C4-C9n paraffin is at most 6.

0.

11. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the C6n-paraffin content is up to 11 wt-% of the total weight of the gasoline fuel component.

12. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the bio-derived carbon content of the gasoline fuel component is determined in accordance with EN 16640 (2017) and is at least 50 wt-% based on the total weight (TC) of carbon in the gasoline fuel component.

13. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the bio-derived carbon content of the gasoline fuel component is determined in accordance with EN 16640 (2017) and is at least 90 wt-% based on the total weight (TC) of carbon in the gasoline fuel component.

14. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the difference between the T90 temperature (90 vol-% recovery as determined according to ASTM D7096-19) and the T10 temperature (10 vol-% recovery as determined according to ASTM D7096-19) is at least 60°C, such as in the range of 60 to 140°C.

15. To provide a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed obtained by hydrogenation deoxygenation of an oxygenated hydrocarbon feed containing vegetable oil, animal fat and / or microbial oil, The paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is subjected to at least hydrogen isomerization, followed by fractionation, and at least the gasoline fuel component is recovered from the fraction. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, which can be obtained by a process including the process described above.

16. To provide a paraffinic hydrocarbon feed comprising at least 60 wt-% of the total weight of the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed, wherein up to 30 wt-% of the paraffin in the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is i-paraffin, In the first reaction section, the paraffinic hydrocarbon feed is subjected to hydrogen isomerization in the presence of a hydrogen isomerization catalyst to obtain a hydrogen isomerized effluent. The feed to the second reaction section, which includes at least a portion of the aforementioned hydrogen isomerized effluent, is subjected to hydrocracking in the second reaction section in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst to obtain the hydrocracking effluent. The hydrocracking effluent is subjected to fractionation, and at least the gasoline fuel components are recovered from the fraction. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, which can be obtained by a process including the process described above.

17. The gasoline fuel component according to claim 1, wherein the distribution of carbon atoms of paraffin in the gasoline fuel component covers at least three adjacent carbon atoms within the range of C4 to C9.

18. Use of a gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in a gasoline fuel composition.

19. A gasoline fuel composition comprising the gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

20. Use of a gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in a gasoline fuel composition, wherein the gasoline fuel composition comprises at least one of an oxygenated gasoline fuel component and / or a hydrocarbon cut.

21. Use of a gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in a gasoline fuel composition, wherein the gasoline fuel composition satisfies the requirements for gasoline fuel as defined in Directive 2009 / 30 / EC.

22. Use of the gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in a gasoline fuel composition, wherein the gasoline fuel composition contains the gasoline fuel component according to claim 1 in an amount of 1 to 25%-vol of the total volume of the gasoline fuel composition.

23. Use of the gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in raw materials for industrial conversion processes, solvents, carriers, dispersant compositions, deemulsifiers, extractants, surfactants, degreasing compositions, detergents, thinners, penetrating oils, corrosion inhibitor compositions, multipurpose oils, in compositions for metalworking, agriculture, construction, electronic equipment, medical devices, automobiles, electrical, textiles, packaging, paper and / or pharmaceutical industries, and / or in the manufacture of intermediates for the same.

24. Use of the gasoline fuel component in a gasoline fuel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein at least one of the following is added to the gasoline fuel component or gasoline fuel composition: antioxidant, stabilizer, surfactant, corrosion inhibitor, friction modifier, metal deactivator, and / or fuel dye.

25. A gasoline fuel composition comprising the gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the gasoline fuel composition comprises at least one of an oxygenated gasoline fuel component and / or a hydrocarbon cut.

26. A gasoline fuel composition comprising the gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17, which satisfies the requirements for gasoline fuels as defined in Directive 2009 / 30 / EC.

27. A gasoline fuel composition comprising the gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the gasoline fuel component according to claim 1 is contained in an amount of 1 to 25%-vol of the total volume of the gasoline fuel composition.

28. A gasoline fuel composition comprising a gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein at least one of the following is added to the gasoline fuel component or gasoline fuel composition: an antioxidant, a stabilizer, a surfactant, a corrosion inhibitor, a friction modifier, a metal deactivator, and / or a fuel dye.

29. The gasoline fuel component according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein at least one of the following is added to the gasoline fuel component: an antioxidant, a stabilizer, a surfactant, a corrosion inhibitor, a friction modifier, a metal deactivator, and / or a fuel dye.

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