Method of forming a paraffinic product by thermal cracking
The present invention relates to a method of forming a paraffinic product that involves providing a paraffinic feed having an initial average carbon chain length of greater than 20. The paraffinic feed is a product of a gas-to-liquids process, such as a Fischer-Tropsch process. The paraffinic feed is subjected to thermal cracking at elevated temperature and elevated pressure, which results in the formation of a paraffinic product. The paraffinic product has a final average carbon chain length of less than or equal to 20. The paraffinic product is typically liquid at ambient temperature, such as at 25° C.
1. A method of forming a paraffinic product comprising:
(a) providing a paraffinic feed having an initial average carbon chain length of greater than 20, wherein said paraffinic feed is a product of a gas-to-liquids process; and
(b) subjecting the paraffinic feed to thermal cracking at elevated temperature and elevated pressure, thereby resulting in the formation of said paraffinic product, wherein said paraffinic product has a final average carbon chain length of less than or equal to 20.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said paraffinic feed is substantially solid at 25° C.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said paraffinic product is liquid at 25° C.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said initial average carbon chain length is greater than 20 and less than or equal to 150.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said final average carbon chain length is greater than 5.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said final average carbon chain length is greater than 5 and less than or equal to 20.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said final average carbon chain length is from 10 to 20.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said final average carbon chain length is from greater than 5 and less than or equal to 15.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said gas-to-liquids process is a Fischer-Tropsch process.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said Fischer-Tropsch process is conducted using a Fischer-Tropsch feed comprising natural gas.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein said paraffinic feed is a first let-down of said Fischer-Tropsch process.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said paraffinic product is substantially free of aromatic hydrocarbons.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein said paraffinic feed is provided from said gas-to-liquids process in a liquid form, in the absence of said paraffinic feed becoming solid after said gas-to-liquids process.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein said elevated temperature is from 200° C. to 600° C., and said elevated pressure is from 2.1 to 13.8 megapascals.