Thermally stable jet prepared from highly paraffinic distillate fuel component and conventional distillate fuel component

• US 20030116469A1
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Hemighaus, Gregory, OʼRear, Dennis J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,846,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/15
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons

Abstract

A stable distillate fuel blend useful as a fuel or as a blending component of a fuel that is suitable for use in turbine engine, said fuel blend prepared from at least one highly paraffinic distillate fuel component having low to moderate branching and at least one conventional petroleum-derived distillate fuel component and a process for preparing same involving the blending of at least two components having antagonistic properties with respect to one another.

Claims

1. A distillate fuel blend useful as a fuel or as a blending component of a fuel suitable for use in a turbine engine, said distillate fuel blend comprising:

(a) at least one highly paraffinic distillate fuel component having a paraffin content of not less than 70 percent by weight and a branching index within the range of from about 0.5 to about 3; and

(b) at least one petroleum-derived distillate fuel component, wherein the distillate fuel blend has an ASTM D3241 breakpoint equal to or greater than 260°

C.

2. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein the paraffin content of the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is not less than 80 percent by weight.

3. The distillate fuel blend of claim 2 wherein the paraffin content of the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is not less than 90 percent by weight.

4. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is at least partially derived from the oligomerization and hydrogenation of olefins.

5. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is at least partially derived from the hydrocracking of paraffins.

6. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is at least partially derived from the low temperature Fischer Tropsch process.

7. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 further including a peroxide inhibitor.

8. The distillate fuel blend of claim 7 containing 1 ppm or greater of sulfur.

9. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein the distillate fuel blend has an ASTM D3241 breakpoint of greater than 270°

C.

10. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein the distillate fuel blend has an ASTM D3241 breakpoint of greater than 280°

C.

11. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein at least one of the petroleum-derived fuel components has an ASTM D3241 breakpoint of 275°

C. or higher.

12. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein at least one of the petroleum-derived fuel components has an ASTM D3241 breakpoint of 290°

C. or higher.

13. The distillate fuel blend of claim 1 wherein at least one of the petroleum-derived fuel components has an ASTM D3241 breakpoint of 300°

C. or higher.

14. A process for preparing a stable distillate fuel blend comprising at least two components having antagonistic properties with respect to one another, said distillate fuel blend being useful as a fuel or as a blending component of a fuel suitable for use in a turbine engine which comprises the steps of:

(a) blending at least one petroleum derived distillate fuel component and at least one highly paraffinic distillate fuel component having a paraffin content of not less than 70 percent by weight and a branching index within the range from about 0.5 to about 3;

(b) determining the thermal stability of the blend of step (a) using a suitable standard analytical method;

(c) modifying the blending of step (a) to achieve a pre-selected stability value as determined by the analytical method of step (b); and

(d) recovering a distillate fuel blend that is characterized by having a breakpoint value of 260°

C. or greater as determined by ASTM D3241.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein modifying the blending of step (c) is accomplished by adjusting the blending ratio of the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component and the petroleum-derived distillate fuel component.

16. The process of claim 14 wherein modifying the blending of step (c) is accomplished by adjusting the boiling range of the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component.

17. The process of claim 14 wherein modifying the blending of step (c) is accomplished by adjusting the degree of isomerization of the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component.

18. The process of claim 14 wherein modifying the blending of step (c) is accomplished by using at least one petroleum-derived distillate fuel component having an ASTM D3241 breakpoint above 275°

C.

19. The process of claim 14 wherein modifying the blending of step (c) is accomplished by using at least one petroleum-derived distillate fuel component having an ASTM D3241 breakpoint above 290°

C.

20. The process of claim 14 wherein modifying the blending of step (c) is accomplished by using at least one petroleum-derived distillate fuel component having an ASTM D3241 breakpoint above 300°

C.

21. The process of claim 14 wherein at least one further component is present in the blend, which further component is selected from the group consisting of an anti-oxidant, a dispersant, and any combination thereof.

22. The process of claim 14 including an additional step of hydrotreating the petroleum-derived distillate fuel component prior to blending step (a).

23. The process of claim 14 including an additional step of solvent extracting the petroleum-derived distillate fuel component prior to blending step (a).

24. The process of claim 14 including an additional adsorption step with the petroleum-derived distillate fuel component prior to blending step (a).

25. The process of claim 14 wherein the distillate fuel blend recovered from step (d) is characterized by having a breakpoint value of 270°

C. or greater as determined by ASTM D3241.

26. The process of claim 25 wherein the distillate fuel blend recovered from step (d) is characterized by having a breakpoint value of 280°

C. or greater as determined by ASTM D3241.

27. The process of claim 14 wherein the highly parafffinic distillate fuel component is at least partially derived from the oligomerization and hydrogenation of olefins.

28. The process of claim 14 wherein the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is at least partially derived from the hydrocracking of paraffins.

29. The process of claim 14 wherein the highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is at least partially derived from the Fischer Tropsch process.

30. The process of claim 14 wherein the paraffin content of at least one highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is greater than 80 percent by weight.

31. The process of claim 14 wherein the paraffin content of at least one highly paraffinic distillate fuel component is greater than 90 percent by weight.