Process to prepare paraffin wax
A process to prepare paraffins and waxes is provided, the process comprising: subjecting a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising paraffins having from 10 to 300 carbon atoms to a hydrogenation step, thereby obtaining a hydrogenated Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising 10 to 300 carbon atoms; separating the hydrogenated Fischer-Tropsch product stream, thereby obtaining at least a fraction comprising 10 to 17 carbon atoms and a fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms; separating the fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms, thereby obtaining one or more first light waxes having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75° C. and a second heavy wax having a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120° C.; and hydrofinishing one or more wax fractions having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75° C. thereby obtaining one or more hydrofinished wax fractions having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75° C.
1. A process to prepare paraffins and waxes, the process at least comprising the following steps:
(a) providing a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising paraffins having from 10 to 300 carbon atoms;
(b) subjecting the Fischer-Tropsch product stream of step (a) to a hydrogenation step, thereby obtaining a hydrogenated Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising 10 to 300 carbon atoms;
(c) separating the hydrogenated Fischer-Tropsch product stream of step (b), thereby obtaining at least a fraction comprising 10 to 17 carbon atoms and a fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms;
(d) separating the fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms of step (c), thereby obtaining one or more first light waxes having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75° C. and a second heavy wax having a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120° C.;
(e) hydrofinishing one or more wax fractions having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75° C. of step (d) thereby obtaining one or more hydrofinished wax fractions having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75° C.
2. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms of step (b), is separated in step (c) by vacuum distillation at a pressure between 5 and 20 mbar.
3. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more first light waxes are obtained as distillate and/or side cuts in vacuum distillation.
4. A process according to claim 3 , wherein the one or more first light waxes are a first light wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of from 30 to 35° C., a second light wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of from 50 to 60° C. and a third light wax having a congealing point in the range of from 65 to 75° C.
5. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the second heavy wax of step (d) is separated, thereby obtaining at least one distillate wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of between 75 to 85° C. and at least one residual wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of from 95 to 120° C.
6. A process-according to claim 5 , wherein the distillate wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of between 75 to 85° C. is hydrofinished to obtain a hydrofinished heavy distillate wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of between 75 and 85° C.
7. A process according to claim 5 , wherein the residual wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of 95 to 120° C. is hydrofinished to obtain a hydrofinished heavy residual wax fraction having a congealing point in the range of 95 to 120° C.
8. A process according to claim 5 , wherein the second heavy wax of step (d) is separated by short path distillation at a pressure between 0.05 and 0.5 mbar.
9. A process according to claim 5 , wherein the second heavy wax of step (d) is separated by short path distillation at a pressure between 0.05 and 0.3 mbar.
10. A process according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the second heavy wax of step (d) is subjected to a hydrocracking/hydroisomerisation step to obtain a partly isomerised product.
11. A Fischer-Tropsch derived wax that has been obtained according to claim 1 having an oil content according to ASTM D721 of from 0.22 wt. % to 0.5 wt. %, wherein the Fischer-Tropsch derived wax has a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120° C.
12. A Fischer-Tropsch derived wax according to claim 11 , having a Saybolt colour of more than 25 cm, wherein the Fischer-Tropsch derived wax has a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120° C.
13. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms of step (b), is separated in step (c) by vacuum distillation at a pressure between 5 and 15 mbar.
14. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms of step (b), is separated in step (c) by vacuum distillation at a pressure between 10 and 15 mbar.
15. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrofinished wax fraction has a Saybolt colour according to ASTM D156 of more than 25 cm.
16. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrofinished wax fraction has a Saybolt colour according to ASTM D156 of more than 28 cm.
17. A Fischer-Tropsch derived wax that has been obtained according to claim 1 having an oil content according to ASTM D721 of from 0.22 wt. % to 0.5 wt. %, wherein the Fischer-Tropsch derived wax has a congealing point in the range of 95 to 120° C.
18. A Fischer-Tropsch derived wax according to claim 17 , having a Saybolt colour of more than 25 cm, wherein the Fischer-Tropsch derived wax has a congealing point in the range of 95 to 120° C.