Base Oil Production via Hydrocracking and Isomerization Dewaxing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing base oils for lubricants are inefficient in achieving good viscometric properties from stock oils containing heavy matter with 30 or more carbon atoms, especially when these oils also contain sulfur and nitrogen, as they require high operating costs and complex dewaxing processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving hydrocracking of stock oils with 80% or more heavy matter under partial hydrogen pressure of 5 to 20 MPa, followed by fractionation and isomerization dewaxing, with the heavy fraction being recycled, to produce a base oil with desired viscometric properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If solvent extraction method is used to remove wax component, then dewaxing effect is achieved, but operating costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using hydroisomerization reaction conditions (temperature, pressure, catalyst) to convert normal paraffin to isoparaffin, replacing the physical extraction method with a chemical transformation method that achieves dewaxing without solvent extraction costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful wax component (normal paraffin) through chemical transformation rather than physical extraction, converting it into a useful isoparaffin component that improves low-temperature flowability while eliminating the need for solvent extraction processes
2Productivity
If hydrocracking is performed on stock oil with heavy matter to improve base oil production efficiency, then throughput increases, but yield of base oil fraction decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes hydrocracking parameters (partial pressure of hydrogen at 5 to 20 MPa, temperature, catalyst type) to achieve a crack per mass of heavy matter within 20-85%, balancing the conversion of heavy matter to light matter with the preservation of base oil fraction yield
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a recycling system where the heavy fraction from fractionation is returned to the hydrocracking step, creating a feedback loop that continuously processes heavy matter and maximizes base oil production efficiency while maintaining acceptable yield
3Manufacturing precision
If isomerization dewaxing is performed to convert normal paraffin to isoparaffin, then low temperature flowability improves, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines hydrocracking and isomerization dewaxing into a single integrated process using a bifunctional catalyst that performs both hydrogenation-dehydrogenation and isomerization reactions, simplifying the overall process while achieving improved low-temperature flowability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method efficiently produces base oils with good viscometric properties, balancing throughput and yield, while effectively managing sulfur and nitrogen content, thereby reducing operational costs and improving lubricant performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first step of hydrocracking a stock oil having a content percentage of a heavy matter having 30 or more carbon atoms of 80% by mass or more under a condition of a partial pressure of hydrogen of 5 to 20 MPa so that a crack per mass of the heavy matter is 20 to 85% by mass
Implementation Method 2
a second step of fractionating the hydrocracked oil into a base oil fraction comprising the hydrocracked product and a heavy fraction comprising the heavy matter and being heavier than the base oil fraction
Implementation Method 3
a third step of isomerization dewaxing the base oil fraction from the fractionation in the second step to obtain a dewaxed oil
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a base oil for lubricant oils comprising: a first step of hydrocracking a stock oil having a content percentage of a heavy matter of 80% by mass or more so that a crack per mass of the heavy matter is 20 to 85% by mass, to obtain a hydrocracked oil comprising the heavy matter and a hydrocracked product thereof, a second step of fractionating the hydrocracked oil into a base oil fraction comprising the hydrocracked product and a heavy fraction comprising the heavy matter and being heavier than the base oil fraction, respectively, a third step of isomerization dewaxing the base oil fraction from the fractionation in the second step to obtain a dewaxed oil, wherein the heavy fraction from the fractionation in the second step is returned to the first step as a part of the stock oil.