Fuel production from feedstock containing triglyceride and/or fatty acid alkyl ester

Abstract

This invention relates to processes for the production of a fuel composition from a feedstock that comprises lipid material (e.g., bio-material) and mineral oil. The processes can be carried out without producing a significant mount of undesirable side reactions such as cracking, polymerization, and aromatization, which can be an undesirable consequence of large heats of reaction. As a result, the invention provides for the production of a product that is relatively high in quality, and catalyst used in the processes is not adversely affected to any significant extent.

1 . A method of producing transportation fuel, comprising:
 providing a feedstock containing lipid material and mineral oil, wherein the lipid material is selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, fatty acid alkyl esters and combinations thereof; and   hydrocracking the feedstock to produce the transportation fuel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mineral oil is comprised of straight run gas oils, vacuum gas oils, demetallized oils, coker distillates, cat cracker distillates, heavy naphthas, diesel boiling range distillate fraction, jet fuel boiling range distillate fraction, kerosene boiling range distillate fraction, coal liquids, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock has an initial boiling point of at least 100° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock has a final boiling point of not greater than 500° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock includes at least 0.05 wt % lipid material, based on total weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock includes not greater than 99 wt % mineral oil, based on total weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lipid material portion of the feedstock includes triglyceride and a majority of the triglyceride present in the lipid material is comprised of C8 to C22 fatty acid constituents, based on total triglyceride present in the lipid material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lipid material portion of the feedstock is comprised of at least 20 wt % fatty acid alkyl ester, based on total weight of the lipid material in the feedstock. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transportation fuel is recovered as at least one fractionated component selected from the group consisting of gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel and diesel. 
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a fractionated fuel component, comprising:
 providing a feedstock containing lipid material and mineral oil, wherein the lipid material is selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, fatty acid alkyl esters and combinations thereof;   hydrocracking the feedstock to produce transportation fuel; and   fractionating the transportation fuel into at least one fractionated fuel component selected from the group consisting of gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel and diesel fuel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the mineral oil is comprised of straight run gas oils, vacuum gas oils, demetallized oils, coker distillates, cat cracker distillates, heavy naphthas, diesel boiling range distillate fraction, jet fuel boiling range distillate fraction, kerosene boiling range distillate fraction, coal liquids, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the feedstock has an initial boiling point of at least 100° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the feedstock has a final boiling point of not greater than 500° C. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the feedstock includes at least 0.05 wt % lipid material, based on total weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the feedstock includes not greater than 99 wt % mineral oil, based on total weight of the feedstock. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the lipid material portion of the feedstock includes triglyceride and a majority of the triglyceride present in the lipid material is comprised of C 8  to C 22  fatty acid constituents, based on total triglyceride present in the lipid material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the lipid material portion of the feedstock is comprised of at least 20 wt % fatty acid alkyl ester, based on total weight of the lipid material in the feedstock. 
     
     
         18 . A method of producing transportation fuel, comprising:
 providing a feedstock containing mineral oil at a content of not greater than 99 wt % mineral oil, based on total weight of the feedstock, and a lipid material selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, fatty acid alkyl esters and combinations thereof, wherein the feedstock has an initial boiling point of at least 100° C. and a final boiling point of not greater than 500° C.; and   hydrocracking the feedstock to produce the transportation fuel.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lipid material portion of the feedstock includes triglyceride and a majority of the triglyceride present in the lipid material is comprised of C 8  to C 22  fatty acid constituents, based on total triglyceride present in the lipid material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lipid material portion of the feedstock is comprised of at least 20 wt % fatty acid alkyl ester, based on total weight of the lipid material in the feedstock, with a majority of the fatty acid constituents of the fatty acid alkyl ester being selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid (C 8:0) capric acid (C 10:0), lauric acid (C 12:0), myristic acid (C 14:0), palmitic acid (C 16:0), palmitoleic acid (C 16:1), stearic acid (C 18:0), oleic acid (C 18:1), linoleic acid (C 18:2), linolenic acid (C 18:3), erucic acid (C 22:1), and combinations thereof.