Automatic Transmission Fluid

Abstract

Provided are compositions for use in Automatic Transmission Fluids. More specifically, provided are Automatic Transmission Fluids made using Gas-to-Liquids lubricant base oils, which are formulated with minimal to no polymeric Viscosity Index improvers and processes for production thereof. The automatic transmission fluids disclosed herein contain a) a lubricant base oil having a Viscosity Index greater than a Viscosity Index Factor as calculated by the following equation: Viscosity Index Factor=28×ln(Kinematic Viscosity at 100° C.)+90; b) an automatic transmission fluid additive package; and c) less than 1.0 wt % Viscosity Index improver. The automatic transmission fluid has a kinematic viscosity at −7° C. of less than 300 mm 2 /s, and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. between 5.0 and 6.0 mm 2 /s.

1 . A process for producing an automatic transmission fluid comprising:
 a. providing a lubricant base oil having a Viscosity Index greater than a Viscosity Index Factor as calculated by the following equation:
   Viscosity Index Factor=28×ln(Kinematic Viscosity at 100° C.)+90;
 
   b. blending the lubricant base oil fraction with an automatic transmission fluid additive package; and   c. optionally blending the lubricant base oil fraction and automatic transmission fluid additive package with a Viscosity Index improver; and   d. providing an automatic transmission fluid comprising less than 1.0 wt % Viscosity Index improver, wherein the automatic transmission fluid has a kinematic viscosity at −7° C. of less than 300 mm 2 /s, and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. between 5.0 and 7.0 mm 2 /s.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of performing a Fischer-Tropsch process to provide a product stream and obtaining a lubricant base oil from the Fischer-Tropsch product stream. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , further comprising hydroismerizing and hydrofinishing the Fischer-Tropsch product stream to provide the lubricant base oil. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the blending of step (b) is performed using greater than 5 wt % automatic transmission fluid additive package. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the blending of step (b) is performed using greater than 10 wt % automatic transmission fluid additive package. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the blending of step (c) is performed using less than 0.5 wt % Viscosity Index improver. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant base oil fraction and automatic transmission fluid additive package are not blended with a Viscosity Index improver and the automatic transmission fluid comprises 0 wt % Viscosity Index improver. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising blending the lubricant base oil fraction and automatic transmission fluid additive package with pour point depressant such that the automatic transmission fluid comprises less than 0.5 wt % pour point depressant. 
     
     
         9 . A process for producing an automatic transmission fluid comprising:
 a. performing a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to provide a product stream;   b. isolating from the product stream a waxy feed;   c. hydroisomerizing the waxy feed using a shape selective intermediate pore size molecular sieve comprising a noble metal hydrogenation component under conditions of about 316° C. to about 399° C.;   d. isolating an isomerized oil;   e. hydrofinishing the isomerized oil to provide a Fischer-Tropsch derived lubricant base oil having a Viscosity Index greater than a Viscosity Index Factor as calculated by the following equation:
   Viscosity Index Factor=28×ln(Kinematic Viscosity at 100° C.)+90;
 
   f. blending the Fischer-Tropsch derived lubricant base oil with an automatic transmission fluid additive package;   g. optionally blending the Fischer-Tropsch derived lubricant base oil fraction and automatic transmission fluid additive package with a Viscosity Index improver; and   g. isolating an automatic transmission fluid comprising less than 1.0 wt % Viscosity Index improver, wherein the automatic transmission fluid has a kinematic viscosity at −7° C. of less than 300 mm 2 /s, and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. between 5.0 and 7.0 mm 2 /s.   
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the blending of step (g) is performed using less than 0.5 wt % Viscosity Index improver. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the shape selective intermediate pore size molecular sieve c is selected from the group consisting of SAPO-11, SAPO-31, SAPO-41, SM-3, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-48, ZSM-57, SSZ-32, offretite, ferrierite, and combinations thereof and the noble metal hydrogenation component is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A process for producing an automatic transmission fluid comprising:
 a. performing a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to provide a product stream;   b. isolating from the product stream a waxy feed;   c. hydroisomerizing the waxy feed using a shape selective intermediate pore size molecular sieve comprising a noble metal hydrogenation component under conditions of about 316° C. to about 399° C., wherein the intermediate pore size molecular sieve is selected from the group consisting of SAPO-11, SAPO-31, SAPO-41, SM-3, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-48, ZSM-57, SSZ-32, offretite, ferrierite, and combinations thereof and the noble metal hydrogenation component is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and combinations thereof;   d. isolating an isomerized oil;   e. vacuum distilling the isomerized oil to provide a lubricant base oil;   f. hydrofinishing the lubricant base oil to provide a Fischer-Tropsch derived lubricant base oil having a Viscosity Index greater than a Viscosity Index Factor as calculated by the following equation:
   Viscosity Index Factor=28×ln(Kinematic Viscosity at 100° C.)+90;
 
   g. blending the Fischer-Tropsch derived lubricant base oil with an automatic transmission fluid additive package;   h. optionally blending the Fischer-Tropsch derived lubricant base oil fraction and automatic transmission fluid additive package with a Viscosity Index improver; and   i. isolating an automatic transmission fluid comprising less than 1.0 wt % Viscosity Index improver, wherein the automatic transmission fluid has a kinematic viscosity at −7° C. of less than 300 mm 2 /s, and a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. between 5.0 and 7.0 mm 2 /s.   
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the blending of step (h) is performed using less than 0.5 wt % Viscosity Index improver.