Method of hydrotreating wax and processes for producing fuel base and lubricating oil base

Abstract

The wax hydrotreating process of the present invention is characterized by hydrotreating the wax by bringing the wax, under a hydrogen atmosphere and at a liquid space velocity of 0.4 to 4.0 h −1 , into contact with a first catalyst 10 containing an ultrastable Y zeolite and an amorphous solid acid and thereafter into contact with a second catalyst 20 that contains a solid acid and substantially does not contain ultrastable Y zeolite.

1 . A wax hydrotreating process, wherein the wax is hydrotreated by bringing the wax, under a hydrogen atmosphere and at a liquid space velocity of 0.4 to 4.0 h −1 , into contact with a first catalyst containing an ultrastable Y zeolite and an amorphous solid acid and thereafter into contact with a second catalyst that contains a solid acid and substantially does not contain ultrastable Y zeolite. 
   
   
       2 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst is disposed in an upstream position in a fixed bed reaction column and the second catalyst is disposed in a downstream position therein, and the wax is hydrotreated in the fixed bed reaction column. 
   
   
       3 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst and/or the second catalyst comprise palladium and/or platinum supported on a catalyst support that is a constituent of the catalyst. 
   
   
       4 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the average particle size of the ultrastable Y zeolite in the first catalyst is no greater than 1.0 μm. 
   
   
       5 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of the ultrastable Y zeolite in the first catalyst is no more than 4.0 mass % with respect to the total mass of the first catalyst. 
   
   
       6 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the amorphous solid acid of the first catalyst contains at least one selected from the group consisting of silica-alumina, alumina-boria, and silica-zirconia. 
   
   
       7 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the solid acid of the second catalyst contains at least one selected from the group consisting of silica-alumina, alumina-boria, silica-zirconia, and silicoaluminophosphate. 
   
   
       8 . The wax hydrotreating process according to  claim 1 , wherein the wax hydrotreating is carried out under conditions of a reaction temperature of 270 to 360° C. and a pressure of 2 to 5 MPa. 
   
   
       9 . A process for manufacturing fuel base material and lubricant base material, comprising:
 a first step in which a wax is hydrotreated by bringing the wax, under a hydrogen atmosphere and at a liquid space velocity of 0.4 to 4.0 h −1 , into contact with a first catalyst containing an ultrastable Y zeolite and an amorphous solid acid and thereafter into contact with a second catalyst that contains solid acid and substantially does not contain ultrastable Y zeolite; and   a second step in which a middle distillate fraction and solid wax are obtained from the treated material obtained in the first step.