PROCESS FOR ADJUSTING THE HARDNESS OF FISCHER-TROPSCH WAX BY BLENDING

摘要

A wax blending process is disclosed which retains the desirable properties of a Fischer-Tropsch wax, while adjusting the hardness of the wax to within a desired range. The invention utilizes a synergistic effect between hard virgin Fischer-Tropsch wax and softer mildly isomerized Fischer-Tropsch wax in a blending process which allows the artisan to adjust the hardness of a wax product to within desired ranges. The process involves passing a Fischer-Tropsch wax over a hydroisomerization catalyst under predetermined conditions including relatively mild temperatures such that chemical conversions (e.g., hydrogenation and mild isomerization) take place while less than 10 % boiling point conversion (hydrocracking) occurs, thus preserving overall isomerized wax yield. At least a portion of the resulting isomerized wax is then blended with untreated hard virgin.