TITLE: Low severity upgrading of F-T waxes with solid superacids. Progress report, March 1, 1992--May 30, 1992.

AUTHOR: I. Wender;   J. W. Tierney.

INST.  AUTHOR: Pittsburgh Univ., PA. Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  20 Jul 92,  7p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE92040662INW

ABSTRACT:

We have previously reported the isomerization and hydrocracking of n-hexadecane and a n-C(sub 32) straight chain paraffin with a Pt/ZrO(sub 2)/SO(sub 4) catalyst at 170(degrees)C and 350 psig of hydrogen. This study has now been extended to the treatment of a Fisher-Tropsch wax with a carbon number range from C(sub 55)-C(sub 62). The results reported in Table 1 show that the Pt/ZrO(sub 2)/SO(sub 4) catalyst is active for the isomerization and hydrocracking of this substrate. At an 88.6 wt% conversion level, an 86.1% selectivity to isoparaffins was achieved. The products consisted mainly of C(sub 4)-C(sub 9) and C(sub 10)-C(sub 14) fractions, suitable as gasoline and diesel fuels. A feed/catalyst ratio of 6:1 was used; there was no evidence of catalytic deactivation. The melted wax is viscous and there was a decrease in conversion with time, indicating that diffusion might be a limitation for chains of very high molecular weight.

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/91304-T2

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-91PC91304