Jet fuel component

Abstract

A renewable jet fuel component comprising: - a C7-C14 paraffins content of at least 40 wt%, - a C15-C18 paraffins content of at most 60 wt%, - a C17-C18 paraffins content of at most 30 wt%, - a C18 paraffins content of at most 2 wt%, - a >C18 paraffins content of at most 1 wt%, - a C11-C17 n-paraffins content of at most 10 wt%, - a C7-C10 isoparaffins content of at least 10wt%, and wherein the renewable jet component has a freezing point of less than -60°C and a flashpoint of 45°C or more.

Description

JET FUEL COMPONENTField of the InventionThe present invention relates to a renewable jet fuel component, a process for preparing said renewable et fuel component and jet fuel compositions comprising said renewable jet fuel component. In particular, the present invention relates to a renewable jet fuel component having a low freezing point and a high flashpoint . Background of the InventionJet aircraft are typically exposed to very low operating temperatures during flight and therefore it is necessary that the fuel used in said aircraft does not freeze at these low temperature conditions. The freezing point of jet fuel is the lowest temperature at which the fuel remains free of solid hydrocarbon crystals that may restrict the flow of the fuel through filters in the fuel system of the engine. If the freezing point of the fuel is not low enough, blocking of fuel filters and problems with fuel pumpability can result. Hence, the freezing point of the fuel needs to be lower than the minimum fuel tank temperature experienced during flight conditions. The Jet A fuel specification sets a maximum freezing point for Jet A fuel of -40°C, while the Jet A-l fuel specification requires a maximum freezing point for Jet A-l fuel of -47°C as specified in ASTM D1655, while Jet B specification sets a maximum freezing point -50°C, as specified in ASTM D6615.US 11, 613,718 B2 relates to a multipurpose fuel composition which contains a petroleum derived jet fuel component and a renewable jet fuel component, wherein themultipurpose fuel composition has a freezing point of - 40°C or below. The renewable jet fuel components disclosed in Tables 2, 3, 4 and 7 of US 11, 613,718 B2 have measured freezing points of -31.5, -50.9, -51.8 and -31.5 respectively, and lower freezing points are only achieved by blending the renewable jet fuel component with petroleum derived jet fuel components. No reference is made to the flash point of these renewable jet fuel components .WO 2022 / 008534 Al relates to improved freezing points in jet fuel compositions containing a petroleum derived jet fuel component and a renewable jet fuel component. The renewable jet fuel components disclosed in Table 2 of WO 2022 / 008534 Al have measured freezing points of -46.0°C, -33.0°C, -41.0°C, -46.0°C and -54.0°C via ASTM D2386-19. Lower freezing points are only achieved by blending the renewable jet fuel component with petroleum derived jet fuel components. No reference is made to the flash point of these renewable jet fuel components .WO 2023 / 154715 Al discloses a heavy renewable jet fuel composition with a low freezing point. Table 2 discloses a renewable jet fuel component with a freezing point of -66°C and a flash point greater than 43°C, but is composed of heavy paraffins, comprising 55% products with 17 and more carbon atoms per molecule, and comprising 86% products with 14 and more carbon atoms per molecule. However, this product was produced via dewaxing processes on a model feed described as corresponding to a renewable diesel, which results in the output of the dewaxing processes to include the kerosene fraction as a bottom along with a small fraction of naphtha, meaningthere is no bottom diesel fraction produced via the process .WO 2017 / 197017 Al discloses a renewable jet fuel composition with an improved flash point. The renewable et fuel composition is comprised of 98% C7-C12 n- paraffins, however the only low temperature property disclosed can be found in composition A of example 2, with a flash point of 51.9°C and a cloud point -20.9°C, with no reference to the freezing point of the composition .It would be desirable to produce a renewable jet fuel component having improved (lower) freezing points, without having to blend with petroleum derived jet fuel components .It would also be desirable to improve other properties of a renewable jet fuel component, in particular the flash point. The flash point of a chemical substance is the lowest temperature at which the substance will produce vapours in sufficient quantity to form an ignitable vapour / air mixture under specific standardized conditions. The higher the vapour pressure, the lower the flash point. The most common jet fuels in commercial use are Jet A and Jet A-l which are kerosene grade fuels having a minimum flashpoint of 38 °C. From a safety viewpoint, it is preferably for jet fuels to have a high flash point so that they are much harder to accidentally ignite, making them safe for use in public spaces such as an airport.Therefore, it would be desirable to produce renewable jet fuel components having improved (lower) freezing points, and preferably improved (higher) flash points, without having to blend with petroleum derived jet fuel components.Summary of the InventionAccording to the present invention there is provided a renewable jet fuel component comprising:- a C7-C14 paraffins content of at least 40 wt%,- a C15-C18 paraffins content of at most 60 wt%,- a C17-C18 paraffins content of at most 30 wt%,- a C18 paraffins content of at most 2 wt%,- a >C18 paraffins content of at most 1 wt%,- a C11-C17 n-paraffins content of at most 10 wt%,- a C7-C10 isoparaffins content of at least 10wt%.It has been found that the renewable jet fuel component of the present invention has an improved (reduced) freezing point. At the same time, it has been found that the renewable jet fuel component of the present invention preferably has an improved (increased) flash point. The freezing point of the renewable jet fuel component of the present invention is -60°C or less, preferably -61°C or less, more preferably -63°C or less , even more preferably -65°C or less (as measured according to ASTM D5972) . The flash point of the renewable jet fuel component of the present invention has a flashpoint of 45°C or more, preferably 48°C or more, more preferably 50°C or more, even more preferably 55°C or more (as measured according to ASTM D93) .According to the present invention there is further provided a process for preparing the renewable jet fuel component described herein comprising the steps of (i) hydrotreating of a biological feedstock followed by (ii) hydroisomerisation in the presence of a hydroisomerisation catalyst to produce an hydroisomerised product, wherein the catalyst bed temperature of the hydroisomerisation catalyst, measured as WABT is at least 330°C, and (iii) distillation of the hydroisomerisedproduct at a kerosene fraction distillation range of 150°C to 299°C, to produce a renewable jet fuel component .According to another aspect of the present invention there is further provided a jet fuel composition comprising the renewable jet fuel component described herein .According to yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a use of the renewable jet fuel component described herein for reducing the freeze point of a petroleum-derived kerosene.According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for reducing the freeze point of a petroleum-derived kerosene by blending of at least 1% the renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 6 with a petroleum-derived kerosene having a freeze point of greater than -60°C. DefinitionsRenewable fuels, such as the renewable jet fuel component, are collected from resources, which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, as opposed to fossil fuels, such as petroleum-derived jet fuel, which are derived from the refining of crude oil. By the term renewable jet fuel component as used herein is meant a jet f uel / kerosene fraction which contains bio-based carbon atoms as determined according to ASTM method D6866-10 entitled "Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid and Gaseous samples using Radiocarbon Analysis". The renewable content may then be determined by isotopic distribution involving14C,13C and / or12C as described in ASTM D6866.The jet fuel component of the present invention is kerosene component. As used herein, the term 'kerosene'means hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons recovered by distillation between an atmospheric equivalent initial boiling point (IBP) and a final boiling point (FBP) measured according to standard ASTM distillation methods. ASTM D86 initial boiling point of kerosenes may vary between approximately 130°C to approximately 210°C. Final boiling point of kerosenes, according to ASTM D86, may vary from approximately 240°C to approximately 315°C.The term 'middle distillates' as used herein are hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons recovered by distillation between an atmospheric-equivalent initial boiling point (IBP) and a final boiling point (FBP) measured according to standard ASTM distillation methods. ASTM D86 initial boiling point of middle distillates may vary from approximately 150°C to approximately 220°C. Final boiling point of middle distillates, according to ASTM D86, may vary from approximately 350 °C to approximately 380°C.As used herein, the term 'naphtha' as used herein is one or more hydrocarbons or oxygenated hydrocarbons having four or more carbon atoms and having an atmospheric-equivalent final boiling point that is greater than approximately 90°C but less than approximately 200 °C. A small amount of hydrocarbons produced in the process (approximately less than 3 wt% of total C4+ hydrocarbons, and preferably less than 1 wt% of total C4+ hydrocarbons) boil at temperatures higher than those for the middle distillates as defined above. That is, these hydrocarbons have a boiling range similar to vacuum-gasoil produced by distillation of petroleum. Gasoline is predominantly naphtha-range hydrocarbons and is used in spark-ignition internal combustion engines. In the United States, ASTM D4814 standard establishes therequirements of gasoline for ground vehicles with spark ignition internal combustion engines. Gasoil (GO) / diesel is predominantly middle distillate range hydrocarbons and is used in compression-ignition internal combustion engines. In the United States, ASTM D975 standard covers the requirements of several grades of diesel fuel for various types of diesel engines.The term "paraffins" as used herein means cyclic, non-cyclic, branched or unbranched alkanes. An unbranched paraffin is an n-paraffin; a branched paraffin is an isoparaffin. "Cycloparaffins" are cyclic alkanes, and can also be described further as branched or unbranched cyclic alkanes. Cycloparaffins can also be referred to as naphthenes or naphthenics . The term "paraffinic" as used herein means both paraffins and cycloparaffins as defined above as well as predominantly hydrocarbon chains possessing regions that are alkane, either branched or unbranched, with mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- or more unsaturation (i.e. one, two, three, four or more than two double bonds) .Detailed Description of the InventionThe renewable jet fuel component of the present invention is primarily paraffinic and comprises a mixture of isoparaffins and n-paraffins, and only a minor amount of other compounds .The jet fuel component of the present invention comprises a C7-C14 paraffins content of at least 40 wt%, preferably in the range from 40 wt% to 70 wt%, more preferably in the range from 40 wt% to 60 wt%, by weight of the total jet fuel component. In one embodiment, the jet fuel component comprises 45 wt% to 55 wt% of C7-C14 paraffins, by weight of the total jet fuel component.The jet fuel component of the present inventioncomprises a C15-C18 paraffins content of at most 60 wt%, preferably in the range from 40 wt% to 60 wt%, more preferably in the range from 40 wt% to 55 wt%, by weight of the total jet fuel component. In one embodiment, the et fuel component comprises from 46 wt% to 55 wt% of C15-C18 paraffins, by weight of the total jet fuel component .The jet fuel component of the present invention comprises a C17-C18 paraffins content of at most 30 wt%, preferably in the range from 1 wt% to 30 wt%, more preferably in the range from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, by weight of the total jet fuel component. In one embodiment, the jet fuel component comprises from 15 to 27 wt% of C17-C18 paraffins, by weight of the total jet fuel component.The jet fuel component comprises a C18 paraffins content of at most 2 wt%, based on the weight of the total jet fuel component.The jet fuel component of the present invention comprises a content of paraffins having greater than 18 carbon atoms of at most 1 wt%, based on the weight of the total jet fuel component.In one embodiment herein, at least 95 wt% of the C17, C18 and C19 paraffins, when considered independently, are isoparaffins with two or more branches, based on the weight of the C17 or C18 or C19 paraffins, respectively.Preferably, no more than 15 wt% of the C15, C16 and C17 paraffins, when considered individually, are normal paraffins, based on the weight of the C15 or C16 or C17 paraffins, respectively.In one embodiment herein, the jet fuel component comprises from 10 wt% to 25 wt%, preferably from 10 wt% to 20 wt%, more preferably from 10 wt% to 18 wt%, evenmore preferably 10 wt% to 16 wt%, of C7-C10 paraffins, based on the total weight of the jet fuel component.In a preferred embodiment herein, the C9, CIO, Cll, C12, C13 paraffins, when considered independently as subgroups, each make up at least 5 wt% of the total jet fuel component, and wherein the factor of increase of the smallest wt% of these sub-groups as compared to the largest wt% is from 1 to 2.2, more preferably from 1 to 2, even more preferably from 1 to 1.8, and especially from 1.05 to 1.67.In a preferred embodiment, the C7 paraffins comprise from 35 wt% to 50 wt%, preferably from 35 wt% to 45 wt%, more preferably from 36 wt% to 42 wt%, of C7 monobranched iso-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C7 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C7 paraffins comprise from 40 wt% to 60 wt%, preferably from 45 wt% to 55 wt%, more preferably from 47 wt% to 51 wt%, of C7 n-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C7 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C7 paraffins comprise from 4 wt% to 15 wt%, preferably from 7 wt% to 15 wt%, more preferably from 8 wt% to 12 wt%, of cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of the C7 paraffins.In a particularly preferred embodiment herein, particularly from the viewpoint of obtaining a renewable jet fuel component having a high flash point, the C7 paraffins comprise: from 35 wt% to 50 wt%, preferably from 35 wt% to 45 wt%, more preferably from 36 wt% to 42 wt%, of C7 monobranched iso-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C7 paraffins ; from 40 wt% to 60 wt%, preferably from 45 wt% to 55 wt%, more preferably from 47 wt% to 51 wt%, of C7 n-paraffins,based on the total weight of the C7 paraffins; and from 4 wt% to 15 wt%, preferably from 7 wt% to 15 wt%, more preferably from 8 wt% to 12 wt% of C7 cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of the C7 paraffins .In a preferred embodiment, the C8 paraffins comprise up to 40 wt%, preferably from 30 wt% to 40 wt%, more preferably from 30 wt% to 36 wt%, even more preferably from 31 wt% to 36 wt%, of C8 n-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C8 paraffins .In a preferred embodiment, the C8 paraffins comprise up to 60 wt%, preferably from 45 wt% to 60 wt%, more preferably from 50 wt% to 58 wt%, even more preferably from 52 to 56 wt%, of C8 mono-branched iso-paraffins, based on the total weight of C8 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C8 paraffins comprise from 5 wt% to 15 wt%, preferably from 5 wt% to 10 wt%, more preferably from 5 wt% to 9 wt%, of C8 cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of C8 paraffins .In a particularly preferred embodiment herein, particularly from the viewpoint of obtaining a renewable jet fuel component having a high flash point, the C8 paraffins comprise: up to 40 wt%, preferably from 30 wt% to 40 wt%, more preferably from 30 wt% to 36 wt%, even more preferably from 31 wt% to 36 wt%, of C8 n-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C8 paraffins; up to 60 wt%, preferably from 45 wt% to 60 wt%, more preferably from 50 wt% to 58 wt%, even more preferably from 52 wt% to 56 wt%, of C8 mono-branched iso-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C8 paraffins; and from 5 wt% to 15 wt%, preferably from 5 wt% to 10 wt%,more preferably from 5 wt% to 9 wt% of C8 cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of the C8 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C9 paraffins comprise up to 30 wt% of C9 n-paraffins, preferably from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, more preferably from 15 wt% to 28 wt%, even more preferably from 17 wt% to 26 wt%, based on the total weight of C9 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C9 paraffins comprise at least 48 wt%, preferably from 48 wt% to 60 wt%, more preferably from 50 wt% to 58 wt%, even more preferably from 52 wt% to 58 wt%, of C9 mono-branched isoparaffins, based on the total weight of C9 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C9 paraffins comprise more than 4 wt%, preferably from 5 wt% to 25 wt%, more preferably from 10 wt% to 22 wt%, even more preferably from 13 wt% to 22 wt%, of di-branched isoparaffins, based on the total weight of C9 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the C9 paraffins comprise less than 4 wt%, preferably from 2 wt% to 13 wt%, more preferably from 3 wt% to 10 wt%, even more preferably from 3 wt% to 7 wt%, of cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of C9 paraffins.In a particularly preferred embodiment herein, particularly from the viewpoint of obtaining a renewable jet fuel component having a high flash point, the C9 paraffins comprise: up to 30 wt%, preferably from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, more preferably from 15 wt% to 28 wt%, even more preferably from 17 wt% to 26 wt%, of C9 n-paraffins, based on the total weight of the C9 paraffins; at least 48 wt%, preferably from 48 wt% to 60 wt%, more preferably from 50 wt% to 58 wt%, even more preferably from 52 wt% to 58 wt%, of C9 mono-branched iso-paraffins,based on the total weight of the C9 paraffins; more than 4 wt%, preferably from 5 wt% to 25 wt%, more preferably from 10 wt% to 22 wt%, even more preferably from 13 wt% to 22 wt%, of C9 di-branched isoparaffins, based on the total weight of C9 paraffins; and less than 4 wt%, preferably from 2 wt% to 13 wt%, more preferably from 3 wt% to 10 wt%, even more preferably from 3 wt% to 7 wt% of C9 cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of the C9 paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the CIO paraffins comprise from 10 wt% to 25 wt%, more preferably from 10 wt% to 20 wt%, even more preferably from 12 wt% to 20 wt% of CIO n-paraffins, based on the total weight of CIO paraffins .In a preferred embodiment, the CIO paraffins comprise at least 40 wt%, preferably from 40 wt% to 55 wt%, more preferably from 45 wt% to 55 wt%, even more preferably from 48 wt% to 55 wt%, of CIO mono-branched isoparaffins, based on the total weight of CIO paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the CIO paraffins comprise at least 22 wt% of di-branched isoparaffins, preferably from 22 wt% to 40 wt%, more preferably from 22 wt% to 35 wt%, even more preferably from 22 wt% to 30 wt%, based on the total weight of CIO paraffins.In a preferred embodiment, the CIO paraffins are comprised of at most 7 wt% cycloparaffins, preferably from 0.1 wt% to 5 wt%, more preferably from 2 wt% to 5 wt%, even more preferably from 3 wt% to 5 wt%, based on the total weight of CIO paraffins.In a particularly preferred embodiment herein, particularly from the viewpoint of obtaining a renewable jet fuel component having a high flash point, the CIO paraffins comprise:from 10 wt% to 25 wt%, more preferably from 10 wt% to 20 wt%, even more preferably from 12 wt% to 20 wt%, of CIO n-paraffins, based on the total weight of the CIO paraffins ; at least 40 wt%, preferably from 40 wt% to 55 wt%, more preferably from 45 wt% to 55 wt%, even more preferably from 48 wt% to 55 wt%, of CIO mono-branched isoparaffins, based on the total weight of the CIO paraffins ; at least 22 wt%, preferably from 22 wt% to 40 wt%, more preferably from 22 wt% to 35 wt%, even more preferably from 22 wt% to 30 wt%, of CIO di-branched isoparaffins, based on the total weight of CIO paraffins; and at most 7 wt%, preferably from 0.1 wt% to 5 wt%, more preferably from 2 wt% to 5 wt%, even more preferably from 3 wt% to 5 wt% of CIO cycloparaffins, based on the total weight of the CIO paraffins.In the renewable jet fuel component, the total amount of iso-paraffins is preferably more than 80 wt%, more preferably more than 85 wt%, even more preferably more than 87 wt%, based on the renewable jet fuel component. The total amount of iso-paraffins is preferably at most 95 wt%, more preferably at most 92 wt%, even more preferably at most 90 wt%. The amount of n-paraffins in the jet fuel component is preferably less than 20 wt%, more preferably less than 15 wt%, even more preferably less than 13 wt%, based on the renewable jet fuel component. The amount of n-paraffins is preferably at least 5 wt%, more preferably at least 10 wt%, even more preferably at least 15 wt%. It is particularly surprising to achieve such a low a freezing point of - 60°C or below given the content of iso-paraffins is at most 95wt%, more preferably at most 92 wt%, even morepreferably at most 90wt%.The paraffins in the jet fuel component have an average carbon number in the range from 11 to 14.2. The average carbon number can be calculated using the method below : Calculate the molecular weight of the corresponding paraffin (alkane) using the formula: CnH2n+2. For example for butane, a C4 molecule: C4H10. Then multiply the C number with the atom weight of Carbon (12.01) and multiply the H number with 1. For butane the molecular weight is: 4 x 12.01 + 10 = 58.04. This is calculated for each carbon number. . Divide the sum of the 2D GC data per carbon number by the molecular weight of the corresponding carbon number; this provides the mols of each detected molecule. . Normalize the data from step 2. (i.e. : take the sum of step 2, and divide all data by that sum to get the mol. percentages % ) . This converts the measured mass % to mol % . . For each carbon number, multiply the mol. % with the applicable carbon number.The sum of step 4 is the average carbon number.The boiling point of the renewable jet fuel is preferably in the range from 130°C to 300°C, more preferably from 140°C to 300°C, even more preferably from 145°C to 300°C, and especially from 150 to 300°C, as measured according to ASTM D86.The density of the jet fuel component measured at 15°C, according to ASTM D4052, is preferably in the range from 750 to 772 kg / m3, more preferably in the range from 760 to 772 kg / m3, even more preferably in the range from 760 to 771 kg / m3.The renewable jet f uel / kerosene component of the present invention can be derived from any suitable source as long as it is suitable for use in an aviation fuel composition. In a preferred embodiment, the renewable et fuel component is derived from renewable sources, more preferably those derived from the hydrotreating of vegetable oils (HVO) and / or HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) .Hydroprocessing involves various reactions where molecular hydrogen reacts with other components, or the component undergo molecular conversions in the presence of molecular hydrogen and a solid catalyst. Suitable hydroprocessing reactions include, but are not limited to, hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurisation, hydrodenitrification, hydrometallization, hydrocracking, and hydroisomerisation .In a preferred embodiment herein, the renewable jet fuel component is prepared by a process which comprises the steps of (i) hydrotreating of a renewable feedstock followed by (ii) hydroisomerisation. The hydrotreating step and hydroisomerisation steps can be carried out in accordance with the processes disclosed in WO2022 / 129258 (in particular, Figure 7 of WO2022 / 129258 and paragraph

[0053] ) , European application number 23210631.0 (in particular, the embodiment in Figure 1, the embodiments in Figures 3 and 4, and paragraphs

[0053] -

[0058] ) and W02024 / 006886.As used herein, the terms 'renewable feedstock' , 'renewable feed' and 'material from renewable sources' means a feedstock from a renewable source. A renewable source may be animal, vegetable, microbial, and / or bioderived or mineral-derived waste materials suitable forthe production of fuels, fuel components and / or chemical feedstocks .A preferred class of renewable materials are C8-C30 bio-renewable fats and oils comprising triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides and free fatty acids or fatty acid esters derived from biorenewable fats and oils. Examples of such fatty acid esters include, but are not limited to, fatty acid methyl esters and fatty acid ethyl esters. The bio-renewable fats and oils include both edible and non-edible fats and oils. Examples of these bio-renewable fats and oils include, but are not limited to, algal oil, brown grease, canola oil, carinata oil, castor oil, coconut oil, colza oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, fish oil, hempseed oil, jatropha oil, linseed oil, milk fats, mustard oil, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sewage sludge, soy oils, soybean oil, sunflower oil, pongamia oil, tall oil, tall oil fatty acids (TOFA) , tallow, lard, used cooking oil, yellow grease, white grease, as well as other recycled fats of the food industry, fats contained in milk, yellow grease, other bio-renewable fats and oils from plants and / or animals and / or fish and / or insects, or from processes utilizing microbes, such as algae, bacteria, yeasts and moulds, or derived from any prokaryotes or eukaryotes, and any combinations thereof. The species yielding the bio-renewable fats and oils may be natural or genetically engineered. The bio-renewable fats and oils may be virgin oils and fats or recycled oils and fats .Another preferred class of renewable materials are liquids derived from biomass and waste liquefaction processes. Examples of such liquefaction processes include, but are not limited to, (hydro) pyrolysis ,hydrothermal liquefaction, plastics liquefaction, and combinations thereof. Renewable materials derived from biomass and waste liquefaction processes may be used alone or in combination with bio-renewable fats and oils .The renewable materials to be used as feedstock in the process of the present invention may contain impurities. Examples of such impurities include, but are not limited to, solids, iron, chloride, phosphorus, alkali metals, alkaline-earth metals, polyethylene and unsaponif iable compounds. If required, these impurities can be removed from the renewable feedstock before being introduced to the process of the present invention. Methods to remove these impurities are known to the person skilled in the art.The process resulting in the jet fuel component of the present invention preferably involves the processing of feed streams comprising substantially 100% renewable feedstocks. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, renewable feedstocks may be co-processed with petroleum-derived hydrocarbons. Petroleum-derived hydrocarbons include, without limitation, all fractions from petroleum crude oil, natural gas condensate, tar sands, shale oil, synthetic crude, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the process resulting in the jet fuel component of the present invention is produced from a combined renewable and petroleum-derived feedstock comprising a renewable feed content of at least 30 wt%.In order to obtain a renewable jet fuel component having improved freeze point and improved flashpoint properties it has been found that the hydroisomerisation step should be carried out in the presence of a hydroisomerisation catalyst in a catalyst bed, whereinthe catalyst bed temperature, measured as WABT (weighted average bed temperature) , is 330°C or greater, preferably 335°C or greater. In addition, it has been found that following the hydroisomerisation step, the hydroisomerised product is subjected to a distillation step at a kerosene fraction distillation temperature in the range from 150 to 299°C, in order to produce the renewable jet fuel component.It has been found that the ideal cut off point for the distillation range varies depending on the temperature of the catalyst bed (measured as the Weighted Average Bed Temperature, WABT) . In cases where the WABT is below 335°C, it has been found that the resulting kerosene fraction cannot achieve a freeze point of -60°C or below, regardless of the chosen upper cut-off point for the distillation range. It has been found that when the WABT is 340°C, a variety of upper cut-off points in the range from 250 to 285°C are capable of resulting a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of -60°C or below. It has been found that when the WABT is 345°C, a variety of upper cut-off points in the range from 250 to 275°C are capable of resulting in a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of -60°C or below. As such it has been found that the jet fuel component of the present invention can be produced over a range of catalyst bed temperatures, particularly at temperatures of 330 °C or greater, preferably 335°C or greater, while the upper cut-off point of the distillation can range from 250°C up to 299°C. Distillation temperatures of 300°C or more were found to be incapable of resulting in a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of -60°C or below.Suitable catalysts for the hydrotreating and hydroisomerisation steps are well known to those skilledin the art. W02022 / 129258 , European application number 23210631.0 and W02024 / 006886 disclose suitable catalysts for the hydroisomerisation step.Preferred feedstocks for use in the present invention were found to comprise C2— C30 fatty acids, more preferably C8-C26 fatty acids, even more preferably C12- C24 fatty acids, or derivatives thereof such as anhydrides or esters of fatty acids as well as triglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids, or combinations thereof.While HEFA is the preferred renewable paraffinic- based kerosene / jet fuel component for use herein, the terms 'renewable paraffinic kerosene' and 'renewable jet fuel component' as used herein also includes kerosene derived from Fischer-Tropsch processes using biomass or biogas as feedstock, synthesized iso-paraffins from hydroprocessed fermented sugars, synthesized kerosene with aromatics derived by alkylation of light aromatics from non-petroleum sources, alcohol-to- et synthetic paraffinic kerosene (ATJ-SPK) , synthesized kerosene from hydrothermal conversion of fatty acid esters and fatty acids (HC-HEFA-SPK) , alcohol-to- et synthetic paraffinic kerosene with aromatics (ATJ-SKA) , as defined in ASTM- 7566.The jet fuel component can be incorporated into a jet fuel composition either as sole blending component, or can be blending with other types of jet fuel components such as petroleum-derived jet fuel components, Fischer-Tropsch derived jet fuel components, and other synthetically-derived jet fuel components, and mixtures thereof .Preferably, the jet fuel component is present in the jet fuel composition in an amount from 1 wt% to 99 wt%,more preferably from 5 wt% to 95 wt%, even more preferably from 10 wt% to 80 wt%, and especially from 50 wt% to 80 wt%, based on the jet fuel composition.It has been found that when the renewable jet fuel component is used in a jet fuel composition, preferably at a level of 50% or greater, by volume of the total jet fuel composition, the final jet fuel composition is capable of meeting the ATSM-7566 specification for freeze point, density and flash point.Preferably, the jet fuel composition comprises a petroleum-derived kerosene in addition to the renewable jet fuel component.A petroleum-derived kerosene base fuel or kerosene range hydrocarbon component for use herein is any petroleum-derived kerosene that may be useful as a jet fuel, or a jet fuel blending component having a boiling point in the range from 130°C to 300°C, at atmospheric pressure (as measured by ASTM D86) , preferably in the range from 140°C to 300°C, and most preferably in the range from 145°C to 300°C. For a jet fuel blending component, the kerosene base fuel (whether single stream or a mixture) can have a flashpoint of 38 °C or above (measured by ASTM D56) , and a density at 15°C of at least 775 kg / m3(as measured by ASTM D4052) . The petroleum- derived kerosene base fuel may be any petroleum-derived jet fuels known to those skilled in the art, including kerosene fuels meeting at least one of Jet A, Jet A-l, F- 24, JP-8, F-44, JP-5, Jet B or AN-8 specifications.Preferably, the petroleum-derived kerosene base fuel is a kerosene that can meet the prevailing jet fuel specification properties. For example, petroleum-derived kerosene fuels meeting Jet A or Jet A-l requirements and a kerosene stream used in Jet A or Jet A-l productionare: a straight run kerosene stream, a caustic washed or straight run kerosene, a kerosene stream further purified via a sweetening process such as Merox (RTM) , Merichem (RTM) , or Bender process, or a hydroprocessed jet fuel. It is also contemplated that petroleum-derived kerosene fuels which do not meet Jet A or Jet A-l specifications may be used as petroleum-derived kerosene base fuels that can be upgraded to meet such specifications by blending with the renewable jet fuel component of the present invention .As another example, the low boiling fraction as separated from a mineral gas oil may be used as such or in combination with a petroleum-derived kerosene, suitably made at the same production location. As the low boiling fraction may already comply with a jet fuel specification, the blending ratio between said component and the petroleum-derived kerosene may be freely chosen. The petroleum-derived kerosene will typically boil for more than 90 vol% within the usual kerosene range of 145°C to 300°C (ASTM D86) , depending on grade and use. It will typically have an initial boiling point in the range from 130°C to 190°C, and a final boiling point in the range 220°C to 300°C. It will typically have a density from 775 to 840 kg / m3at 15°C (e.g. ASTM D4052 or IP365) . Its kinematic viscosity at -20°C (ASTM D445) may suitably be up to a maximum of 8.0 mm2 / s. The petroleum- derived kerosene base fuel or kerosene range hydrocarbon component may be a straight run kerosene fraction as isolated by distillation from a crude oil source or a kerosene fraction isolated from the effluent of typical refinery conversion processes, preferably hydrocracking. The kerosene fraction may also be the blend of straight run kerosene and kerosene as obtained in a hydrocrackingprocess. Suitably, the properties of the mineral derived kerosene are those of the desired jet fuel.The aromatic content of the petroleum-derived kerosene base fuel may vary in the range from 0 to 25 vol%, preferably 3 to 25 vol%, more preferably from 15 to 20 vol%, based on the total petroleum-derived kerosene base fuel (as measured by ASTM 1319) . The petroleum- derived kerosene base fuel most useful herein may have a density at 15°C of at least 775 kg / m3, to preferably at most 840 kg / m3, and more preferably at most 820 kg / m3.The petroleum-derived kerosene base fuel may be a single stream from a refining stream or a mixture of one or more refining streams, or a mixture of refining streams and one or more synthetic kerosene components, or one of more synthetic kerosene streams approved by ASTM D7566 or equivalent specifications.In one embodiment, the petroleum-derived kerosene has a freeze point of more than -60°C (e.g. -59°C) . A preferred petroleum-derived kerosene is Jet-A petroleum- derived kerosene.It has been found that by blending the renewable jet fuel component with a petroleum-derived kerosene, the resulting blend has a reduced freeze point compared to that of the petroleum-derived kerosene alone. Hence, according to the present invention there is a further provided use of a renewable jet fuel component as described herein for improving (reducing) the freeze point of a petroleum-derived kerosene.According to the present invention there is further provided a method of improving (reducing) the freeze point of a petroleum-derived kerosene, the method comprising blending an amount of the jet fuel component described herein with an amount of a petroleum-derivedkerosene to produce a jet fuel composition, wherein the amount of the jet fuel component is preferably greater than 1% by volume of the jet fuel composition. The resulting jet fuel composition has a reduced freeze point as compared to the petroleum-derived kerosene alone.In one embodiment of the present invention, the renewable jet fuel component described herein is capable of lowering the freeze point of Jet-A petroleum derived kerosene to meet Jet-Al freeze point requirements as set out in ASTM D1655. Further, the renewable jet fuel component is capable of bringing a Jet-A petroleum- derived kerosene within the requirements of the Jet-Al petroleum-derived kerosene specification ASTM D1655, particularly in terms of freeze point, flash point and density requirements. In such embodiment, an amount of 30% by volume or more of the renewable jet fuel component, by volume of the final blend, should be blended with a Jet-A petroleum derived kerosene.In a further embodiment, the renewable jet fuel component described herein is capable of lowering the freeze point of Jet-A petroleum derived kerosene to meet Jet-B freeze point requirements as set out in ASTM D6615. Further, the renewable jet fuel component is capable of bringing a Jet-A petroleum-derived kerosene within the requirements of the Jet-B petroleum-derived kerosene specification ASTM D6615, particularly in terms of freeze point and density requirements. In such embodiment, an amount of 40 vol% or more of the renewable jet fuel component, by volume of the final blend, should be blended with a Jet-A petroleum derived kerosene.In a further embodiment, the renewable jet fuel component described herein is capable, either alone or in a blend with a petroleum-derived kerosene, of meeting therequirements of JP-8 and JP-8 variant standards as specified in British Defence Standard 91-87 and MIL-DTL- 83133.The invention is illustrated by the following nonlimiting examples. Examples Examples 1-23 (Production of renewable jet fuel components )Several jet fuel components according to the present invention were manufactured according to the process described below. A variety of fat and oil feedstocks were pre-treated and hydrodeoxygenated. These feedstocks were derived from tallow, soybean oil, distillers corn oil, and plant oil mixtures, as set out in Table 1 below. The feedstocks were subjected to a deoxygenation step followed by a hydroisomerisation step. The deoxygenation step can be carried out as taught in the Example of W02022 / 038265. The product of this process was termed the 'hydro-deoxygenated effluent' . The hydrodeoxygenated effluent comprised a C7-C30 hydrocarbon mixture including normal paraffins, branched paraffins, naphthenics and aromatics, and contained up to 1% contaminants comprising olefins, alcohols, esters, glycerides or sterane type components. The hydrodeoxygenated effluent primarily contained C7-C30 n- paraffins, the majority of which were C17-C18 n- paraffins, in terms of the measured weight percentage of the total hydro-deoxygenated effluent. This was measured by 2-dimensional gas chromatography. Ultimately, the renewable feedstock source and hydrodeoxygenated effluent composition were found not to limit the ability to produce a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of - 60°C or below.The hydroisomerisation step can be carried out essentially as disclosed in WO2022129258 (in particular, Figure 7 of W02022 / 129258 and paragraph

[0053] ) or European patent application number 23210631.0 (in particular, the embodiment in Figure 1, the embodiments in Figures 3 and 4, and paragraphs

[0053] -

[0058] ) with any changes in process conditions noted below. The feedstock of the hydroisomerisation step is the hydrodeoxygenated effluent of the hydro-deoxygenation step. The product of the hydroisomerisation step was termed the 'Total Liquid Product' (TLP) . In a reactor, a single bed catalyst was used. 30ML of a hydroisomerisation catalyst was used comprising 0.7 wt% Pt on a carrier comprising 75 wt% silica and 25 wt% zeolite ZSM-12. The catalyst bed was operated at varying temperatures between 325°C and 345°C. The feedstock was supplied to the catalyst bed at a WHSV of 1.0 g fresh combined liquid per mL hydroisomerisation catalyst per hour. A gas stream comprising 100 vol% hydrogen was supplied to the catalyst bed at a gas-to-oil ratio of 500 NL / kg. The total pressure at the reactor outlet was 73 barg (7.3 MPag) .Several kerosene fractions were isolated from the corresponding total liquid products (TLPs) produced. The isolation of the HEFA kerosene fractions from the corresponding TLPs was done using a batch distillation according to ASTM D2892 and by fractionating the TLP at different cut points (150°C, 250°C, 275°C, 285°C and 300°C) . This allowed by back blending into four different kerosene ranges, with a fixed lower cut-off point of 150°C, and varying upper cut-off points as follows: 150-250°C, 150-275°C, 150-285°C and 150-300°C. Once the HEFA kerosene fractions were isolated from the corresponding TLPs, they were subjected to severalstandard analyses, namely distillation profiling via ASTM D86 (atmospheric distillation) , density (ASTM D4052) , freezing point (according to ATSM D5972) and flashpoint (according to ASTM D93) .Referring to Table 1 below, the ideal upper cut-off point for the distillation range varies depending on the temperature of the catalyst bed (measured as the Weighted Average Bed Temperature, WABT) . In cases where the WABT is below 335°C, the resulting kerosene fraction could not achieve a freezing point of -60°C or below, regardless of the chosen upper cut-off point for the distillation range. Where the WABT is 340°C, a variety of upper cutoff points between 250-285°C were capable of resulting in a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of -60°C or below. Where the WABT is 345°C, a variety of upper cutoff points between 250-275°C were capable of resulting in a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of -60°C or below. As such it appears that the jet fuel component of the invention can be produced over a range of catalyst bed temperatures, particularly at temperatures of 330°C or more, while the upper cut-off point of the distillation can range from 250°C up to 299°C. Distillation temperatures of 300°C or more were found to be incapable of resulting in a kerosene fraction with a freezing point of -60°C or below. Table 1*not according to the present invention2-dimensional gas chromatography (2D-GC) was carried out on a number of the examples produced in order to assess their quality and physicochemical properties. 2- dimensional gas chromatography was used due to its higher sensitivity in comparison to 1-dimensional gas chromatography (1D-GC) . This was considered necessary in order to ensure the accurate characterisation of paraffins and their structure, specifically to determine whether the paraffins are linear, branched, or cyclic, as well as the number of branches, within each carbon chain length sub-group. The results from this analysis are provided in Table 2 and Table 3 below.Table 2*not according to the present inventionThe total iso-paraffin content, total n-paraffin content and the weight ratio of iso-paraffin to n- paraffin content were not found to have a significant effect on the freezing point of the samples analysed.Analysis of the total C7, C8, C9, CIO, Cll, C12, C13, C14, C15, C16, C17, C18, C19, C20, C15-C18 paraffins content, <C15 paraffin content, >C18 paraffin content as shown in Table 4 below, demonstrated that the following elements of the composition are most influential on freezing point in the Examples analysed: the percentage of light (C7-C14) and heavy (C15-C18) paraffins in terms of weight percentage of the total composition, the presence of paraffins larger than C18 in terms of weight percentage of the total composition, the amount of C18 paraffins in terms of weight percentage of the total composition, C17-C18 paraffins in terms of weight percentage of the total composition, C11-C17 n-paraffins in terms of weight percentage of the total composition, and the amount of C7-C10 paraffins in terms of weight percentage of the total composition.Table 3= not according to the present inventionNM = not measuredAs discussed above, for the jet fuel components of the present invention, the C9, CIO, Cll, C12, C13 paraffins, when considered independently as sub-groups, each make up at least 5 wt% of the total jet fuel component. Table 4 below sets out the balance of C9, CIO, Cll, C12, C13 paraffins in terms of the factor of increase of the smallest wt% of these sub-groups as compared to the largest wt%, for several of the jet fuel components produced. According to the data in Table 4, it has been found that this factor of increase is also a noticeable feature of the jet fuel components of the present invention. Table 4Given the high percentage of the lighter paraffins in the samples with a freezing point lower than -60°C, it was assumed that the flashpoint of the samples would be unsuitable for use as an aviation fuel given the disproportionately large effect lighter hydrocarbons have towards reducing flash point of hydrocarbon mixtures. However, surprisingly, the flashpoints of the jet fuel components of the present invention were well above the minimum 38 °C as required by ASTM D7566 Table A2.1. See Table 5 below for flashpoint data of Examples 15, 16 and 17.Table 5Table 5 above confirms that the production of a jet fuel component according got the present invention provides a jet fuel component have a freezing point of - 60°C or below and a flash point of 45°C or above. It is unusual for a jet fuel component to have such a low freezing point and such a high flashpoint at the same time .Flashpoint can be influenced by a number of factors. For paraffins specifically, the shorter the length of the paraffin in terms of carbon number, the lower the flash point. It is generally considered that the ability of the paraffins to be easily packed is a contributing factor, where easier packing allows for a higher flashpoint. This reasoning is used to explain why n- paraffins often have higher flash points than their isomeric forms, as the straight chained paraffins can be packed more easily, while the isomerised forms have side branches that disrupt packaging in some way. However, this is not always the case, as illustrated in Table 6 below, where the flashpoint of several paraffins was obtained from the Sigma Aldrich (RTM) website.Table 6Mixtures of these different hydrocarbons will also have an effect on flash point, where complex interactions between different structures will result in differences in the ability for paraffins to pack and as such have an unpredictable effect on the flash point. Looking closely at the Examples of the present invention, which have a freezing point of -60°C or below and a flash point of 45°C or more, the distribution of n-paraffins, monobranched paraffins, di-branched paraffins, paraffins with more than two branches, and cycloparaffins in the lightest paraffins, here defined as C7, C8, C9 and CIO, are responsible for this balance of high flash point, as shown in Table 7 below. Table 7 shows the percentage of n-paraffins, mono-branched paraffins, di-branched paraffins, paraffins with more than two branches (defined here as highly branched paraffins) , and cycloparaffins as a percentage of the total carbon number sub-groups (e.g. C7 paraffins, C8 paraffins, etc. ) . For example, Example 15 has 50% of its C7 paraffins in the form of n- paraf f ins . Table 7 (all numbers in wt%)*Not according to the present inventionTo further highlight the structural distribution of these C7-C10 subgroups, Table 8 below provides the range of samples with a freezing point of -60°C or below and flashpoint of 45°C or more.Table 8Examples 24 to 40Some HEFA-containing fuel compositions were prepared as set out in Tables 9 and 10 below which shows the volumetric blend ratio of HEFA and conventional jet fuel (Jet A or Jet A-l samples) . The fuel compositions were prepared by blending the constituents by hand mixing under ambient conditions. HEFA Examples 15, 16 and 17 prepared above were blended in a 2:2:1 weight ratio to provide a 'renewable composite' , also by hand mixing under ambient conditions, and then blended with Jet A orJet A-l samples.Table 9*not according to the present inventionSurprisingly, the 100 %vol blend of the Example 15, and 17 (i.e. Example 27) resulted in a lower freezingpoint that any of Example 15, 16 or 17 alone, and lower than would be calculated by linear blending calculation [ (0.4 x (- 60.9) + (0.4 x (-65.9) ) + (0.2 x (-63.1) = -63.34°C] . The low freezing point of the renewable composite (Example 27) is capable of reducing the freezing-point of a Jet-A blend at all volumes measured, and is capable of modifying a kerosene meeting Jet A freezing-point specification (Max -40 °C) to meet Jet A-l specifications (Max -47 °C) when the renewable composite is present at 30% or more in the blend. Further blends were made using another petroleum derived Jet A kerosene (Jet A Sample 2 in Table 10 below) , and two further blends with petroleum-derived Jet-Al kerosenes (Jet A-l Sample 1 and Jet A-l Sample 2 in Table 10 below) . In all cases, the addition of the renewable composite at 30 %vol or more in the blend was capable of reducing the freezing-point of the fuel blend, as compared to the freezing point of the petroleum derived kerosene alone.Table 10*not according to the present invention

Claims

C L A I M S1. A renewable jet fuel component comprising:- a C7-C14 paraffins content of at least 40 wt%,- a C15-C18 paraffins content of at most 60 wt%,- a C17-C18 paraffins content of at most 30 wt%,- a C18 paraffins content of at most 2 wt%,- a >C18 paraffins content of at most 1 wt%,- a C11-C17 n-paraffins content of at most 10 wt%,- a C7-C10 isoparaffins content of at least 10wt%, and wherein the renewable jet component has a freezing point of less than -60°C and a flashpoint of 45°C or more .

2. The renewable jet fuel component of Claim 1 wherein at least 95 wt% of the C17, C18 and C19 paraffins, when considered independently, are isoparaffins with two or more branches .

3. The renewable jet fuel component of Claim 1 or 2 wherein no more than 15 wt% of the C15, C16 and C17 paraffins, when considered individually, are n-paraffins.

4. The renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the renewable jet fuel component comprises from 10 to 25 wt% of C7-10 paraffins.

5. The renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the C9, CIO, Cll, C12, C13 paraffins, when considered independently as sub-groups, each make up at least 5 wt% of the total jet fuel component, and wherein the factor of increase of the smallest wt% of these subgroups as compared to the largest wt% is from 1 to 2.2.

6. A renewable jet fuel component according to any of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the renewable jet fuel component has a density at 15°C in the range from 750 to 772 kg / m3.

7. Process for preparing the renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 6 comprising the steps of(i) hydrotreating of a biological feedstock followed by(ii) hydroisomerisation in the presence of a hydroisomerisation catalyst to produce an hydroisomerised product, wherein the catalyst bed temperature of the hydroisomerisation catalyst, measured as WABT is at least 330°C, preferably at least 335°C, and (iii) distillation of the hydroisomerised product at a kerosene fraction distillation range of 150°C to 299°C, to produce a renewable jet fuel component.

8. A jet fuel composition comprising the renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 6.

9. A jet fuel composition according to Claim 8 additionally comprising a petroleum derived kerosene having a freeze point of greater than -60°C.

10. Use of the renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 6 for reducing the freeze point of a petroleum-derived kerosene.

11. A method for reducing the freeze point of a petroleum-derived kerosene by blending of at least 1% the renewable jet fuel component of any of Claims 1 to 6 with a petroleum-derived kerosene having a freeze point of greater than -60°C.

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