December 1, 2012
Comparing NABC Products to Petroleum Refinery Intermediates, Blend
Components, and Finished Fuels
The NABC Refinery Integration team utilized the Stage 1 product analytical results to characterize the
biomass-derived materials from NABC processes relative to typical petroleum refinery intermediates,
blend stocks, and finished fuel blends. Specific objectives for this analysis were to (1) compare bulk
properties of NABC products to those of refinery streams using published literature sources for refinery
properties and (2) based on the comparisons, identify probable insertion points (processing units) for
introduction and integration of NABC intermediates into the petroleum refinery. This analysis was based
solely on the bulk properties (i.e., boiling curves, gravities/densities, overall elemental compositions)
presented in the Stage 1 analytical results. API gravity is a parameter representing a materials density
[API gravity = (141.5 / specific gravity) – 131.5].
An example of the means of comparison for this analysis is presented in Figure 1, a data plot of API
gravity vs. volume average boiling point (VABP). Using pure component data for paraffins, olefins,
naphthenes, and aromatics, constant carbon number lines can be drawn on the plot to explore how varying
the hydrogen to carbon ratio (for a constant carbon number) impacts the bulk properties of the material.
This plot shows that API gravity decreases with decreasing hydrogen to carbon ratio, while the average
boiling point remains nearly constant with constant carbon number (represented by VABP).
Virgin Intermediates
65
Naphthas
(C5 – 400 °F)
60
Coker Intermediates
Distillates
(400 – 700 °F)
FCC Intermediates
Gas Oils
(700 – 1000 °F)
C10 Line
C15 Line
Resids
(1000+ °F)
55
50
45
API Gravity
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1,000 1,050 1,100 1,150 1,200
Volume Average True Boiling Point (Deg F)
Figure 1. Sample plot with constant carbon number lines for pure hydrocarbon components
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Refinery stream data points from published literature sources [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] serve as the basis for
comparing the NABC materials. Data from the following refinery intermediates, blendstocks, and
finished products are referenced throughout the analysis: virgin or straight run (crude unit) intermediates,
fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) intermediates, coker intermediates, gasoline blend components and target
finished fuel blend, and diesel blend components and target finished fuel blend. The dashed trend lines
shown in Figures 1 and 2 are correlations based on these refinery streams.
NABC Stream Comparisons with Refinery Streams
The first objective of the analysis was to compare the bulk properties of the NABC streams with those of
typical refinery streams. Figure 2 presents a comparison of all NABC naphthas, distillates, and heavies
fractions with refinery intermediates and typical finished fuel blends (gasoline, kerosene/jet fuel, diesel).
Virgin Intermediates
Coker Intermediates
FCC Intermediates
NABC Gasoline Streams
NABC Diesel Streams
NABC Heavies Streams
Finished Fuel Blends
65
60
Gasoline
55
50
FLS
HTL
45
API Gravity
Kero / Jet
CLS
40
Diesel
35
30
25
HTL
HYP
NABC
Naphthas
20
15
CLS
HYP
10
HTL
CLS
NABC
Distillates
5
NABC
Heavies
-
HYP
(5)
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1,000 1,050 1,100 1,150 1,200
Volume Average True Boiling Point (Deg F)
Figure 2. NABC stream comparisons with petroleum refinery materials
Figure 3 provides a comparison of the NABC naphtha and distillate fractions relative to typical refinery
blend components for gasoline and diesel products. Blend components and NABC streams utilized in the
comparison are as follows:
Refinery Gasoline Blendstocks
LSR =
light straight run naphtha
LCN =
light cracked naphtha
MCN = medium cracked naphtha
Alky =
alkylate
Ref =
reformate
Refinery Diesel Blendstocks
HT SR Kero = hydrotreated straight run kerosene
HT SRD =
hydrotreated straight run distillate
HT CD =
hydrotreated cracked distillate
HC Kero =
hydrocracker kerosene
HC Dist =
hydrocracker distillate
NABC Naphtha Streams
CLS =
catalysis of lignocellulosic sugars
HTL =
hydrothermal liquefaction
HYP =
hydropyrolysis
NABC Distillate Streams
CLS =
catalysis of lignocellulosic sugars
FLS =
fermentation of lignocellulosic sugars
HTL =
hydrothermal liquefaction
HYP =
hydropyrolysis
2
85
LSR
Finished Diesel Blend
Gasoline Blend Component
Diesel Blending Components
Distillates
(400 – 700 °F)
LCN
70
65
Alky
60
MCN
55
API Gravity
NABC Diesel Streams
Finished Gasoline Blend
Naphthas
(C5 – 400 °F)
80
75
NABC Gasoline Streams
50
Ref
45
FLS
HTL
HT SR Kero
CLS
40
HC Kero
HT CD
35
HT SRD
HC Dist
30
25
HTL
HYP
20
CLS
HYP
15
10
5
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
Volume Average True Boiling Point (Deg F)
Figure 3. Naphtha and distillate stream comparison with typical refinery blend components
Refinery Integration Assessment
Based on the results from the NABC stream comparisons, the tables below present a preliminary
assessment of NABC product cuts and probable refinery process locations for insertion of the NABC
Stage 1 materials.
NABC Naphthas
Stream Assessment
Process Unit
Catalysis of
lignocellulosic sugars
(CLS)
Similar in properties to a refinery reformate material.
Possibly directly blended based on bulk properties but
mild hydroprocessing may be required to blend
appreciable volumes in gasoline pool.
Mild Naphtha
Hydroprocessing
or Blending
Hydrothermal
liquefaction
(HTL)
Possibly directly blended based on bulk properties but
mild hydroprocessing may be required to blend
appreciable volumes in gasoline pool.
Mild Naphtha
Hydroprocessing
or Blending
Hydropyrolysis
(HYP)
Highly aromatic material as it possesses significantly
lower hydrogen to carbon ratio relative to typical refinery
cracked naphthas (coker and FCC). The material would
likely join heavy cracked naphtha refinery streams for
hydroprocessing.
Cracked Naphtha
Hydroprocessing
3
NABC Distillates
Stream Assessment
Process Unit
Catalysis of
lignocellulosic sugars
(CLS)
Resembles the properties of FCC light cycle oil (LCO).
Would likely follow the same processing path as FCC
LCO.
Hydroprocessing
or Hydrocracking
Fermentation of
lignocellulosic sugars
(FLS)
Highly paraffinic material likely to possess desirable diesel
blending properties. Can potentially represent significant
diesel blending volumes based on bulk properties.
Diesel Blending
Hydrothermal
liquefaction
(HTL)
Resembles the properties of FCC light cycle oil (LCO).
Would likely follow the same processing path as FCC
LCO.
Hydroprocessing
or Hydrocracking
Hydropyrolysis
(HYP)
Likely to be more highly aromatic than FCC light cycle oil
(LCO), which suggests significant hydrogen addition
would improve potential for diesel blending.
High-Pressure
Hydroprocessing
or Hydrocracking
Stream Assessment
Process Unit
Catalysis of
lignocellulosic sugars
(CLS)
Resembles a high boiling point residual material such as
vacuum tower bottoms.
Resid FCC,
Coker or Asphalt
/ Lubes
Hydrothermal
liquefaction
(HTL)
Possesses similar bulk properties to coker gas oil.
Resid FCC or
Hydrocracker
Hydropyrolysis
(HYP)
Properties resemble FCC heavy cycle oil (HCO) or
unconverted bottoms (slurry oil).
Hydrocracker,
Coker, Asphalt or
Bunker Fuel
Blending
NABC Heavies
References
[1] Parkash, Surinder. Refining Processes Handbook. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, 2003.
[2] Chevron Motor Gasolines Technical Review. San Ramon, CA: Chevron Corporation, 2009.
http://www.chevronwithtechron.com/products/documents/69083_MotorGas_Tech_Review.pdf
[3] Chevron Aviation Fuels Technical Review. Houston, TX: Chevron Corporation, 2006.
http://www.cgabusinessdesk.com/document/aviation_tech_review.pdf
[4] CENEX Product Data Sheet. Website accessed August 1, 2012.
https://www.cenex.com/portal/server.pt/community/1brands___products/453
[5] GPSA Engineering Data Book
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