Evaluation of various techniques for separation of non-polar modifier concentrates from petroleum waxy by-products

Abstract

Two petroleum waxy by-products (light and middle slack wax crudes) were evaluated for separation of non-polar modifiers by using different techniques. The results showed that, the light slack wax is selected as a suitable wax for separation of n-alkanes with even number of carbon atoms ranging from C20 to C26 for their high n-paraffin contents and can be used as non-polar structural modifiers. Different separation techniques; multistage fractional crystallization and liquid–solid chromatography; followed by the urea adduction technique have been used to separate non-polar modifier concentrates from the light slack wax crude. The light slack wax, its saturate components, the hard wax fractions isolated from light slack wax by the multistage fractional crystallization technique and their adducts were analyzed by GC to characterize and compare the produced components. The resulting data reveal that, the adducts of light slack wax and its saturate components; can be used as non-polar modifier concentrates of low carbon atoms (C20+C22). From an economic point of view, the light slack wax adduct is selected as a non-polar modifier concentrate whereas, the separation step can be neglected to save energy. Meanwhile, the adduct of the hard wax isolated at 30°C can be used as the preferable non-polar modifier concentrate of the high carbon number atoms (C24+C26).