Patent GB-513169-A (GB)
Title: An improved manufacture of lubricating oils from olefines
IPC: C10G50/02
Filed: 1938-03-28
Abstract: - 513,169. Synthetic hydrocarbon oils. STANDARD OIL DEVELOPMENT CO. March 28, 1938, No. 9423. Convention date, Dec. 7, 1937. [Class 2 (iii)] Lubricating oils are prepared by dispersing a Friedel-Crafts type catalyst in a hydrocarbon liquid consisting of substantially pure olifines with 6-24 carbon atoms per molecule, and contacting therewith one or more olifines of from 2-5 carbon atoms per molecule, the temperature being between 0 and 150‹F. The hydrocarbon liquid may be a polymer of a lower olefine, e.g. a trimer or tetramer of ethene or propene or preferably a polymer of isobutene up to the hexamer or a cracked paraffin wax distillate consisting of C6 to C24 olefines. The other olefinic reactant is preferably isobutene, but ethene, propene, n-butenes and pentenes may be used, or mixtures of these which may contain inert diluents, e.g. nitrogen, hydrogen, or methane, butane, or other paraffin having 1-5C. atoms. The reaction temperature may be about 40‹F. using crude or plant isobutene, with pure isobutene about 65‹F. For each part by weight of hydrocarbon liquid, 0.1-10 parts of isobutene are generally used. Boron fluoride is the preferred catalyst, others specified being aluminium or titanium chloride or boron fluoride dissolved in water or sulphuric or phosphoric acid. Sufficient pressure may be applied to maintain the lower olefines in liquid phase. After removal of catalyst as by washing or distillation the product is fractionated and hydrocarbons of not more than 24 carbon atoms recycled. The residue may be further separated into light and heavy lubricating oil stocks. The process may be a batch or continuous one. In a cyclic process boron fluoride is fed from line 1, having a pressure control device 17 to the upper part of coil 6, di-isobutene being also fed thereto by pipe 2. The mixture flows with the liquid rising through coil 6, descends through line 22, and passes via pump 23 to line 5, where it meets isobutene fed through line 4. The reactants pass up into coil 6 which is cooled by a bath 30. Part of the products is discharged from vessel 34 by line 35 into chamber 36 into which wash water is fed by line -37 and from which some boron fluoride escapes by line 38. The washed oil leaves at 39. Any low boiling polymers may. be recovered and recycled by line 2. A high rate of circulation of BF3, di-isobutene solution should be used, and the proportion of isobutene fed should be relatively small. The results of experiments in which isobutene is condensed with boron fluoride dissolved in isobutene polymer or in n-heptane for comparison are given. The effects of varying rate of feed, reaction time, and rate of circulation in the cyclic process are shown. The products generally have a Saybolt viscosity above 40 secs. at 210‹F., and a viscosity index above 30, while the bottoms remaining after distilling at 525‹F. and 5 mm., have a viscosity less than 300 secs. By successive precipitations of high molecular weight fractions of the bottoms with benzolacetone or propane, low viscosity oils can be obtained therefrom. Specifications 508,070 and 474,831 are referred to.