Low pour point renewable fuel blend
A renewable fuel blend and a process for producing a renewable fuel blend are described. The blend includes biologically derived C 13 to C 18 normal paraffins, which are provided to the blend in quantities such that blend does not require a pour point reducing treatment to achieve a low pour point. In embodiments, the normal paraffins are produced in an upgrading process, such as a hydrotreating process.
1. A process for producing a renewable fuel blend comprising:
hydrotreating a biologically derived feedstock selected from animal, vegetable and seed fats and oils, glycerides, lipids, fatty acids, esters of fatty acids, and combinations thereof to form a hydrotreated effluent;
recovering biologically derived C 14 , C 16 and C 18 normal paraffins from the hydrotreated effluent;
blending a petroleum derived middle distillate with 1 vol. % to 20 vol. % of the biologically derived C 14 , C 16 and C 18 normal paraffins to produce a renewable fuel blend having a pour point that is in a range from 0° C. to −65° C., the renewable fuel blend further characterized by a ratio ΔC 18 /(ΔC 14 +ΔC 16 ) that is less than 0.5, the process not including a pour point reducing treatment,
wherein:
ΔC 18 represents a quantity of biologically derived C 18 normal paraffins, as a vol. % of the renewable fuel blend;
ΔC 16 represents a quantity of biologically derived C 16 normal paraffins, as a vol. % of the renewable fuel blend; and
ΔC 14 represents a quantity of biologically derived C 14 normal paraffins, as a vol. % of the renewable fuel blend.
2. The process according to claim 1 , comprising blending with the middle distillate in the range of from 3 vol. % to 15 vol. % biologically derived C 14 , C 16 and C 18 normal paraffins.
3. The process according to claim 1 , comprising blending with the middle distillate no more than 3 vol. % biologically derived C 18 normal paraffins.
4. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising recovering biologically derived C 12 normal paraffins from the hydrotreated effluent, and blending with the middle distillate no more than 3 vol. % of the biologically derived C 12 normal paraffins.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio ΔC 18 /(ΔC 14 +ΔC 16 ) is in the range of between 0.01 and 0.4.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the biologically derived C 14 , C 16 and C 18 normal paraffins are blended with the middle distillate such that the following relationship holds:
47.41*Δ C 18 −20.04*Δ C 16 −18.91*Δ C 14 ≦0
wherein:
ΔC 18 represents a quantity of biologically derived C 18 normal paraffins, as a vol. % of the renewable fuel blend;
ΔC 16 represents a quantity of biologically derived C 16 normal paraffins, as a vol. % of the renewable fuel blend; and
ΔC 14 represents a quantity of biologically derived C 14 normal paraffins, as a vol. % of the renewable fuel blend.
7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the cloud point of the renewable fuel blend is in the range of from 0° C. to −65° C.