Reforming process for renewable aviation fuel

Abstract

Methods of making highly renewable aviation fuel are described. In one embodiment, the method includes reacting a renewable feedstock in a reaction zone to form a mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins. The mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins is separated into at least a heavy SPK fraction, and a light SPK fraction. A portion of the light SPK fraction is reformed in a reforming zone under reforming conditions to form a mixture of renewable aromatics. A portion of the mixture of renewable aromatics is mixed into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, an aviation fuel made from a renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof to form the highly renewable aviation fuel component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making highly renewable aviation fuel component comprising:
 reacting a renewable feedstock in a reaction zone to form a mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins;   separating the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins into at least a heavy SPK fraction, and a light SPK fraction;   reforming a portion of the light SPK fraction in a reforming zone under reforming conditions to form a mixture of renewable aromatics;   mixing a portion of the mixture of renewable aromatics into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, an aviation fuel made from a renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof to form the highly renewable aviation fuel component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein separating the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins further comprises separating the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins into a naphtha fraction, and further comprising reforming a first portion of the naphtha fraction with the portion of the light SPK fraction to form the mixture of renewable aromatics. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising separating the mixture of renewable aromatics into an aviation range renewable aromatic fraction and a naphtha range renewable aromatic fraction; and wherein mixing the portion of the mixture of renewable aromatics into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, the aviation fuel component made from the renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof comprises mixing the aviation range renewable aromatic fraction into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, the aviation fuel component made from the renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising mixing the naphtha range renewable aromatic fraction with a second portion of the naphtha fraction, an additional naphtha stream, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reacting the renewable feedstock in the reaction zone to form the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins comprises:
 hydrotreating the renewable feedstock in a hydrotreating zone under hydrotreating conditions to obtain a mixture of n-paraffins; and 
 isomerizing at least a portion of the n-paraffins in an isomerization zone under isomerization conditions to obtain the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising recycling hydrogen formed in reforming to the reaction zone or the reforming zone. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reforming conditions comprise a temperature in a range of about 300° C. to about 520° C., a pressure in a range of about 345 kPa (about 50 psig) to about 2758 kPa (about 400 psig), and a ratio of H 2 :HC of about 0.5 to about 10. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reforming conditions comprise a temperature in a range of about 410° C. to about 500° C., a pressure in a range of about 1034 kPa (about 150 psig) to about 2068 kPa (about 300 psig), and a ratio of H 2 :HC of about 2 to about 8. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reforming takes place in the presence of a noble metal catalyst. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the highly renewable aviation fuel component comprises about 8 wt % to about 25 wt % renewable aromatics. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the portion of the mixture of aromatics comprises at least about 25 wt % of a total of aromatics in the highly renewable aviation fuel component. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making highly renewable aviation fuel component comprising:
 hydrotreating the renewable feedstock in a hydrotreating zone under hydrotreating conditions to obtain a mixture of n-paraffins; and   isomerizing at least a portion of the n-paraffins in an isomerization zone under isomerization conditions to obtain the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins;   separating the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins into at least a heavy SPK fraction, and a light SPK fraction;   reforming a portion of the light SPK fraction in a reforming zone under reforming conditions to form a mixture of renewable aromatics;   mixing a portion of the mixture of renewable aromatics into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, an aviation fuel made from a renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof to form the highly renewable aviation fuel component.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein separating the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins further comprises separating the mixture of n-paraffins and isomerized paraffins into a naphtha fraction, and further comprising reforming a first portion of the naphtha fraction with the portion of the light SPK fraction to form the mixture of renewable aromatics. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising separating the mixture of renewable aromatics into a aviation range renewable aromatic fraction and a naphtha range renewable aromatic fraction; and wherein mixing the portion of the mixture of renewable aromatics into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction the aviation fuel component made from the renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof comprises mixing the aviation range renewable aromatic fraction into the light SPK fraction, the heavy SPK fraction, the aviation fuel component made from the renewable feedstock, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising mixing the naphtha range renewable aromatic fraction with a second portion of the naphtha fraction, an additional naphtha stream, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising recycling hydrogen formed in reforming to the hydrotreating zone, the isomerization zone, or the reforming zone. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the reforming conditions comprise a temperature in a range of about 300° C. to about 520° C., a pressure in a range of about 345 kPa (about 50 psig) to about 2758 kPa (about 400 psig), and a ratio of H 2 :HC of about 0.5 to about 10. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the reforming conditions comprise a temperature in a range of about 410° C. to about 500° C., a pressure in a range of about 1034 kPa (about 150 psig) to about 2068 kPa (about 300 psig), and a ratio of H 2 :HC of about 2 to about 8. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the reforming takes place in the presence of a noble metal catalyst. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the highly renewable aviation fuel component comprises about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % renewable aromatics.