Dewaxing Aids

Increased Profitability

by Optimizing Wax/Oil

Separation

Evonik RohMax Additives GmbH. London, 25th of February 2011

Andr Unglert Technical Sales Manager

1. Group I Base Oil and Waxes

2. Solvent Dewaxing and

Dewaxing Aids (DWAs)

3. Case Studies

328,5 million tonnes per year*

570.000 barrels per day*

2010

* Source: LubesnGreases, January 2011, Vol. 17, Issue 1

2020

-25%

21 million tonnes per year*

420.000 barrels per day*

Group I Capacities in 20XX

Bright Stocks and Heavy

Grades

High Quality Waxes

High Oil Yields

High Throughputs

Lower Oil-in-wax

20XX

4Consequences for Group I Refineries

Close or

Shut-down

Optimize

Convert

Wait and See

Group II and

III or Fuels

Focus on

Bright StocksFocus on

Waxes

Tailored

Dewaxing Aids

Group I

Refineries

1. Group I Base Oil and Waxes

2. Solvent Dewaxing and

Dewaxing Aids (DWAs)

3. Case Studies

6 Separation of lube oil from wax

Precipitation of wax crystals in a chilled solvent

system

MEK/toluene, propane, MIBK

Filtration under specific operating conditions in a

rotary drum filter

- vacuum pressure,

- drum rotation interval,

- solvent wash conditions,

- filter wash interval

Solvent removal from oil and wax

Solvent Dewaxing General Info

7RaffinateRaffinate

Filtrate ( Oil / Solvent )Filtrate ( Oil / Solvent )

Slack waxSlack wax

Cold solventCold solvent

Process Operation

Process variables:

Filtration temperature

Solvent ratio

Drum rotation interval

Solvent wash conditions

Process outcomes:

Filtration rate

Oil yield

Oil-in-wax content

Costs

8RaffinateRaffinate

Filtrate ( Oil / Solvent )Filtrate ( Oil / Solvent )

Slack waxSlack wax

Cold solventCold solvent

Improved Process with DWAs

Potential benefits on

process outcomes:

Filtration rate

Oil yield

Oil-in-wax content

Costs

9 PAMA dewaxing aids are based on variable chemistry

R = alkyl side chain with

varying chain length

Higher alkyl side chains

interact with higher paraffins

Lower alkyl side chains

interact with lower waxes

Side chain distribution can

be designed to give the

best match

O O

R

The Chemistry behind our DWAs

Raffinate Paraffin Distribution

Tailored DWA Side Chain Distribution

10

Dewaxing Mechanism (1/2)

11

Raffinate Raffinate Filtrate ( Oil / Solvent ) Filtrate ( Oil / Solvent )

Slack wax Slack wax

Cold solventCold solvent

Dewaxing Mechanism (2/2)

+70+70CC --2020CC

Without a

dewaxing aid -

Crystalline

network

With a dewaxing aid

- More uniform sized

wax crystals

Cross-polarized microscopic pictures from the solution at -20C

12

A Successful Project Approach

Understanding

Needs

Laboratory

Testing

Plant

Trial

Apply optimized

laboratory

screening

techniques

Identify most

promising

dewaxing aid

Characterize

refinery

processes

Get samples of

the raffinates

Identify

improvement

levers

Agree upon

targets

Confirm the

performance

in the field

On-site

Support by

DWA experts

1. Group I Base Oil and Waxes

2. Solvent Dewaxing and

Dewaxing Aids (DWAs)

3. Case Studies

14

Case Study 1 Bright Stock (BS)

DEWAXING AID Pump

15

Case Study 1 Bright Stock (BS)

Oil Yield (%)

Without

DWA

870

1250

78,0

82,329% Oil

in Wax

Wax Yield (%)

Throughput or

Feed Rate (m/day)

With

DWA

Without

DWA

With

DWA

22,0

17,7 12% Oil

in Wax

> 40%

16

Case Study 2 Bright Stock (BS)

Oil Yield (%)450

510

72

62 Throughput or

Feed Rate (m/day)

Without

DWA

With

DWA

Without

DWA

With

DWA

14%

17

Case Study 2 Heavy Grade

Oil Yield (%)

500

585

67

71

Throughput or

Feed Rate (m/day)

Without

DWA

With

DWA

Without

DWA

With

DWA

17%

18

Conclusion

Increased

Oil Yield

Improved

Wax Quality

Total

Added

Value

Increased

Throughput