Two methods of dewaxing and comparison of them

Dewaxing is a separation process that removes wax from feedstock such as DAO from deasphalting and HVGO from vacuum distillation in refining process. Wax is a desirable by-product which is necessary to remove for producing lubricating oil base stock with low pour points. Solvent dewaxing and catalytic dewaxing are the two commercial methods of dewaxing that generally used in refining process. Solvent dewaxing is a physical process which involves freezing and solvent transport. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and propane are the two main solvents used in this process. In US, MEK is the most common solvent used in process because it has advantages such as lower capital investment, energy saving and higher filtration rates. The process need to freeze the feedstock in a several stage. Wax crystals will be formed by solidifying wax compounds thought the refrigeration. In a rotary filter, crystals will be dissolved in solvent and separated. Eventually, the layer of wax will go through the steam stripping unit to separate solvent from the product. Unlike solvent dewaxing, catalytic dewaxing is a chemical process which involves reactions of long-chain n-alkenes. A selective catalytic cracking of n-paraffins take place in this process. In the pores of molecular sieve catalysts (zeolites), the pores only open 0.6 nm to filter i-paraffin out. Through this process, the ratio of i-paraffins and n-paraffins will increase to lower the pour point. In order to prevent coking on the surface, hydrogen is used alone the process. This cracking process produces some by-products such as gasoline. Overall, two dewaxing achieve the goal to lower the pour points and separate wax. However, catalytic dewaxing produce lube base stock with even lower pour point and in higher yield. Solvent dewaxing produce lube base stock in a lower yield because to separate the wax from oil in this process is hard.

 

 

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