Biorenewable naphtha

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a method for producing a naphtha product from a renewable feedstock. The method includes hydrotreating the renewable feedstock to produce a hydrotreating unit heavy fraction that includes n-paraffins, and hydrocracking the hydrotreating unit heavy fraction to produce a hydrocracking unit product that includes the naphtha product. The method also includes separating the naphtha fraction and optionally recycling the hydrocracking unit heavy fraction through the hydrocracking unit. The present invention also relates to a biorenewable naphtha product suitable for use as feed stock for steam crackers and catalytic reforming units, and for use as fuel, or fuel blend stock.

1 . A method for producing from a renewable feedstock a naphtha boiling-range hydrocarbon, comprising:
 a. hydrotreating a renewable feedstock to produce a hydrocarbon fraction;   b. hydrocracking the hydrocarbon fraction of step (a) to produce a distribution of cracked hydrocarbons;   c. separating a naphtha fraction from the distribution of cracked hydrocarbons   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a heavy fraction from the distribution of cracked hydrocarbons is recycled to the hydrocracking step (b) 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1  or  2 , further comprising the step of recovering from the heavy fraction a middle distillate fraction. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in any one of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , wherein the renewable feedstock comprises monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the biorenewable feedstock is selected from the group comprising animal fats, animal oils, poultry fat, poultry oil, vegetable fats, vegetable oils, rendered fats, rendered oils, restaurant grease, brown grease, waste industrial frying oils, fish oils, fish fats, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in any one of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , wherein the hydrotreating step operating conditions comprise a reaction temperature of from about 300° F. to about 850° F. and a reaction pressure of from about 300 psig to about 3,000 psig. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in any one of  claims 1 ,  2 , and  3 , wherein the hydrocracking step operating conditions comprise a reaction temperature of from about 400° F. to about 900° F. and a reaction pressure of from about 250 psig to about 3,000 psig. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 ,  2 , and  3 , wherein the naphtha product has a boiling point range of from about 70° F. to about 400° F. 
     
     
         9 . A naphtha composition produced from a renewable feedstock wherein the naphtha has:
 a. a boiling range of about 70° F. to about 400° F.; and   c. a specific gravity at 20° C. of from about 0.680 to about 0.740.   
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the naphtha comprises C 4 , C 5 , C 6 , C 7 , C 8 , C 9 , and C 10  paraffins. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the renewable feedstock comprises monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the biorenewable feedstock is selected from the group comprising animal fats, animal oils, poultry fat, poultry oil, vegetable fats, vegetable oils, rendered fats, rendered oils, restaurant grease, brown grease, waste industrial frying oils, fish oils, fish fats, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used as fuel for industrial burners and boilers. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used for producing hydrogen. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is suitable for use in fuel cell applications. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used as feedstock for steam crackers. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used as feedstock for catalytic reforming. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used as industrial solvent. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used as an alternative gasoline fuel for combustion engines when blended between 1% and 85% by volume with ethanol. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used to produce gasoline blend stock via isomerization of the C 5 /C 6  fraction of the composition. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the biorenewable naphtha is used as turbine fuel.