Method to produce an oil from olefin-based resins by thermal degradation reactions

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing an oil comprising feeding an olefin-based resin into a reactor, converting the olefin-based resin into an oil by thermal degradation reaction, and recovering the produced oil, wherein the olefin-based resin is a low molecular weight (LMW) olefin-based resin. The LMW olefin-based resin comprises a molecular weight of less than 50,000 g/mol, preferably less than 40,000 g/mol measured according to ISO 16014-4. In an embodiment, method comprises a further step of cracking a higher molecular weight (HMW) olefin-based resin to produce the LMW olefin-based resin. Also provided are an oil produced according to the method and a use of the oil for as a feedstock for production of olefin-based resins. In the examples, a Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process, which uses super-critical water as reaction media, is used for the thermal degradation reaction.

1 . A method for producing an oil comprising
 feeding an olefin-based resin into a reactor,   converting the olefin-based resin into an oil by thermal degradation reaction, and   recovering the produced oil,   wherein the olefin-based resin is a low molecular weight (LMW) olefin-based resin.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the LMW olefin-based resin is fed in a molten state. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the LMW olefin-based resin is fed at a temperature of equal to or above 300° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the reactor is selected from the group consisting of a batch reactor, semi-batch reactor, continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), fluidized bed reactor, conical spouted bed reactor (CSBR), fixed bed reactor, and fluid catalytic cracking unit. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the thermal degradation reaction is selected from the group consisting of two-stage thermal degradation systems, microwave-assisted thermal degradation, thermal degradation in supercritical water (SCW), hydrothermal liquefaction, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrogenation, hydrocraking, oxycracking, and gasification. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the converting step occurs at a temperature ranging from 400 to 800° C., a residence time from 15 min to 2 h, and in an environment substantially free of oxygen. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the converting step occurs in the presence of a catalyst. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a further step of cracking a higher molecular weight (HMW) olefin-based resin to produce the LMW olefin-based resin wherein the cracking may occur before or during the feeding step. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein in the cracking step the molecular weight of the HMW olefin-based resin is reduced from 4 up to 20 times. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the LMW olefin-based resin is directly fed into the reactor. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the cracking step is performed above the onset degradation temperature, optionally in the presence of a visbreaking agent. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the cracking step is performed at a temperature above the melting temperature and below the onset degradation temperature of the HMW olefin-based resin and in the presence of a visbreaking agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the cracking step is performed at a residence time of less than 2 min. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the condensables yield in the converting step is at least 10% higher in comparison to the condensables yield when feeding HMW olefin-based resin into the thermal degradation reactor. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the HMW olefin-based resin has an initial molecular weight Mw of 50,000 g/mol to 1,000,000 g/mol, measured according to ISO 16014-4. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the LMW olefin-based resin comprises olefin monomers selected from ethylene, olefins comprising 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the LMW olefin-based resin comprises a molecular weight of less than 50,000 g/mol, measured according to ISO 16014-4. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a further step of purifying the oil recovered from the reactor. 
     
     
         23 . An oil obtained according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         24 . A method of producing an olefin-based resin comprising using a feedstock comprising the oil according to  claim 23 .