Functional fluids having low brookfield viscosity using high viscosity-index base stocks, base oils and lubricant compositions, and methods for their production and use

Abstract

This invention relates to base stocks and base oils that exhibit an unexpected combination of high viscosity index (130 or greater) and a ratio of measured-to-theoretical high-shear/low-temperature viscosity at −30 C. or lower and the methods of making them. Specifically, the present invention relates to low-viscosity base stocks and base oils as used in functional fluids. More specifically, the present invention relates to automatic transmission fluids showing surprising low temperature Brookfield viscosities and methods to produce them.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A functional fluid comprising: 
 a) a base stock or base oil, said base stock or base oil having the properties of 
 (i) a viscosity index (VI) of about 130 or greater;  
 (ii) a pour point of about −10 C. or lower;  
 (iii) a ratio of measured-to-theoretical low-temperature viscosity equal to about 1.2 or less, at a temperature of about −30 C. or lower, where the measured viscosity is cold-crank simulator viscosity and where theoretical viscosity is calculated at the same temperature using the Walther-MacCoull equation wherein said base stock or base oil is not a Group IV base stock or base oil; and  
   b) at least one additive.    
     
     
         2 . A functional fluid comprising: 
 a) at least one base stock or base oil wherein said base stock or base oil has a VI of at least 130 produced by a process which comprises 
 (i) hydrotreating a feedstock having a wax content of at least about 60 wt. %, based on feedstock, with a hydrotreating catalyst under effective hydrotreating conditions such that less than 5 wt. % of the feedstock is converted to 650° F. (343° C.) minus products to produce a hydrotreated feedstock whose VI increase is less than 4 greater than the VI of the feedstock;  
 (ii) stripping the hydrotreated feedstock to separate gaseous from liquid product;  
 (iii) hydrodewaxing the liquid product with a dewaxing catalyst which is at least one of ZSM-48, ZSM-57, ZSM-23, ZSM-22, ZSM-35, ferrierite, ECR-42, ITQ-13, MCM-71, MCM-68, beta, fluorided alumina, silica-alumina or fluorided silica alumina under catalytically effective hydrodewaxing conditions wherein the dewaxing catalyst contains at least one Group 9 or Group 10 noble metal; and  
   b) at least one additive.    
     
     
         3 . A functional fluid comprising: 
 a) at least one base stock or base oil wherein said base stock has a VI of at least 130 produced by a process which comprises 
 (i) hydrotreating a feedstock having a wax content of at least about 50 wt. %, based on feedstock, with a hydrotreating catalyst under effective hydrotreating conditions such that less than 5 wt. % of the feedstock is converted to 650° F. (343° C.) minus products to produce a hydrotreated feedstock to produce a hydrotreated feedstock whose VI increase is less than 4 greater than the VI of the feedstock;  
 (ii) stripping the hydrotreated feedstock to separate gaseous from liquid product;  
 (iii) hydrodewaxing the liquid product with a dewaxing catalyst which is at least one of ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ferrierite, ZSM-48, ZSM-57, ECR-42, ITQ-13, MCM-68, MCM-71, beta, fluorided alumina, silica-alumina or fluorided silica-alumina under catalytically effective hydrodewaxing conditions wherein the dewaxing catalyst contains at least one Group 9 or 10 noble metal;  
 (iv) hydrofinishing the product from step (3) with a mesoporous hydrofinishing catalyst from the M41S family under hydrofinishing conditions; and  
   b) at least one additive.    
     
     
         4 . A functional fluid comprising: 
 a) at least one base stock wherein said base stock has a VI of at least 130 produced by a process which comprises 
 (i) hydrotreating a feedstock having a wax content of at least about 60 wt. %, based on feedstock, with a hydrotreating catalyst under effective hydrotreating conditions such that less than 5 wt. % of the feedstock is converted to 650° F. (343° C.) minus products to produce a hydrotreated feedstock to produce a hydrotreated feedstock whose VI increase is less than 4 greater than the VI of the feedstock;  
 (ii) stripping the hydrotreated feedstock to separate gaseous from liquid product;  
 (iii) hydrodewaxing the liquid product with a dewaxing catalyst which is ZSM-48 under catalytically effective hydrodewaxing conditions wherein the dewaxing catalyst contains at least one Group 9 or 10 noble metal;  
 (iv) optionally, hydrofinishing the product from step (3) with MCM-41 under hydrofinishing conditions; and  
   b) at least one additive.    
     
     
         5 . A functional fluid comprising: 
 (I) at least one base stock having 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of about 1.5 to about 8.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 110 to about 160,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −9° C.,  
 (d) a saturates content of about 92 to about 100 mass %,; and  
   (II) optionally from about 0 vol % to about 80 vol % a of hydrocracked Group II or Group III base stock mixture; and    (III) optionally, at least one performance additive.    
     
     
         6 . The functional fluid of  claim 5  wherein the said functional fluid has a kinematic viscosity of about 4.5 to about 9.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C., a viscosity index of about 150 to about 230, a pour point of about −42° C. or less, and a Brookfield viscosity of about 20,000 cP or less at −40° C.  
     
     
         7 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said functional fluid has a kinematic viscosity of about 5.5 to about 8.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.  
     
     
         8 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said functional fluid has a Brookfield viscosity of about 15,000 cP or less at −40° C.  
     
     
         9 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said functional fluid has a Brookfield viscosity of about 10,000 cP or less at −40° C.  
     
     
         10 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a kinematic viscosity of about 2.0 to about 6.0 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.  
     
     
         11 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a kinematic viscosity of about 3.0 to about 5.0 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.  
     
     
         12 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a viscosity index of about 120 to about 150.  
     
     
         13 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a viscosity index of about 130 to about 150.  
     
     
         14 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a pour point of less than about −12° C.  
     
     
         15 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a pour point of less than about −15° C.  
     
     
         16 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a saturates content of about 96 to about 100 mass %.  
     
     
         17 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said hydrocracked Group II or Group III base stock incorporated into said functional fluid is about 0 vol % to about 50 vol % of the final blend.  
     
     
         18 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said hydrocracked Group II or Group III base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a kinematic viscosity of about 1.5 to about 8.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C., a viscosity index of about 90 or higher, a pour point of about −15° C. maximum, a saturates content of about 92 to about 100 mass %.  
     
     
         19 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said hydrocracked Group II or Group III base stock incorporated into said functional fluid has a saturates content of about 92 to about 100 mass %.  
     
     
         20 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said wherein said base stock is present in an amount of about 20 vol % to about 100 vol %.  
     
     
         21 . The functional fluid of  claim 6  wherein said wherein said base stock is present in an amount of about 40 vol % to about 100 vol % of the base oil blend.  
     
     
         22 . A functional fluid comprising: 
 (I) at least one base stock having 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of 3.0 to about 5.0 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 130 to about 150,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −15° C.,  
 (d) a saturates content of about 96 to about 100 mass %; and  
   (II) optionally, from about 0 vol % to about 50 vol %, of hydrocracked Group II or Group III base stock mixture comprising one or more hydrocracked bases stocks having: 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of about 1.5 to about 6.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 90 or higher,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −15° C.,  
 (d) a saturates content of about 92 to about 100 mass %  
   said mixture of base stocks having a base stock blend: 
 (a) kinematic viscosity of about 3.5 mm 2 /sec to about 5.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 120 to about 150,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −15° C.; and  
   (III) optionally, at least one performance additive;    wherein said functional fluid has: 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of about 5.5 to about 8.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 150 to about 230,  
 (c) a pour point of about −42° C. or less,  
 (d) and a Brookfield viscosity of about 15,000 cP or less at −40° C.  
   
     
     
         23 . The functional fluid of any of the proceeding claims used as an Automatic Transmission Fluid.  
     
     
         24 . A method of improving the Brookfield viscosity of a functional fluid by incorporating said base stock of any one of claims  1 - 5 .  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a functional fluid by incorporating said base stock from any one of claims  1 - 5 .  
     
     
         26 . A method of making an automatic transmission fluid by incorporating said base stock from any one of claims  1 - 5 .  
     
     
         27 . A automatic transmission fluid comprising: 
 (I) at least one base stock having 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of 3.0 to about 5.0 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 130 to about 150,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −15° C.,  
 (d) a saturates content of about 96 to about 100 mass %; and  
   (II) optionally, from about 0 vol % to about 50 vol %, of hydrocracked Group II or Group III base stock mixture comprising one or more hydrocracked bases stocks having: 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of about 1.5 to about 6.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 90 or higher,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −15° C.,  
 (d) a saturates content of about 92 to about 100 mass %  
   said mixture of base stocks having a base stock blend: 
 (a) kinematic viscosity of about 3.5 mm 2 /sec to about 5.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 120 to about 150,  
 (c) a pour point of less than about −15° C.; and  
   (III) optionally, at least one performance additive;    wherein said functional fluid has: 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of about 5.5 to about 8.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 150 to about 230,  
 (c) a pour point of about −42° C. or less,  
 (d) and a Brookfield viscosity of about 15,000 cP or less at −40° C.  
   wherein said functional fluid has: 
 (a) a kinematic viscosity of about 5.5 to about 8.5 mm 2 /sec at 100° C.,  
 (b) a viscosity index of about 150 to about 230,  
 (c) a pour point of about −42° C. or less, and  
 (d) a Brookfield viscosity of about 10,000 cP or less at −40° C.  
   
     
     
         28 . The functional fluids of any of the claims  2 - 4  wherein said feedstock is a gas-to-liquid feedstock.