Process for producing synthetic petroleum jelly
View Patent ↗A method for producing petroleum jelly from hydrocarbons. The method converts the hydrocarbon source into a synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is converted into at least a light-hydrocarbons stream and a heavy-hydrocarbons stream, which both include a plurality of paraffins and a plurality of olefins. The plurality of paraffins is reacted with the plurality of olefins in the presence of a dialkyl peroxide initiator to form the petroleum jelly.
1. A method for producing petroleum jelly from a natural gas source comprising:
converting the natural gas source into a synthesis gas;
converting the synthesis gas into at least a light-hydrocarbons oil stream and a heavy-hydrocarbons wax stream, the light-hydrocarbons stream and the heavy-hydrocarbons stream including a plurality of paraffins and a plurality of olefins; and
reacting the plurality of paraffins with the plurality of olefins in the presence of a dialkyl peroxide initiator to form the petroleum jelly.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stripping the petroleum jelly in a fractionation column.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising hydrogenating at least a portion of the produced petroleum jelly to crack and saturate at least some remaining double bonds within the petroleum jelly and to remove odor.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction between the plurality of paraffins and the plurality of olefins occurs within a batch reactor.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the entirety of the dialkyl peroxide initiator is added at the same time.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the dialkyl peroxide initiator is added continuously.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the dialkyl peroxide initiator is added in increments.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entirety of the light-hydrocarbons stream is olefin-rich and is added to a reactor along with the heavy-hydrocarbons stream.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the olefin-rich light-hydrocarbons stream is added to the reactor continuously.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the olefin-rich light-hydrocarbons stream is added to the reactor in increments.
11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reaction is allowed to proceed for at least about 2 hours.
12. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reaction is not allowed to proceed for longer than about 8 hours.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction between the plurality of paraffins and the plurality of olefins occurs within a continuous-flow static mixer, the reaction taking place as the plurality of paraffins and the plurality of olefins move along the continuous-flow static mixer.
14. A method for producing petroleum jelly comprising:
generating a synthesis gas from one or more of a group including at least natural gas, biomass, coal, or other hydrocarbon source;
converting the synthesis gas into at least a light-hydrocarbons oil stream and a heavy-hydrocarbons wax stream, the light-hydrocarbons stream and the heavy-hydrocarbons stream including a plurality of paraffins and a plurality of olefins; and
reacting the plurality of paraffins with the plurality of olefins in the presence of a dialkyl peroxide initiator to form the petroleum jelly.