Technical evaluation of bio-Fischer-Tropsch wax co-processing in industrial hydrocracking: a scalable pathway to lower-carbon fuels

The integration of renewable feedstocks into conventional refinery operations is a key pathway for accelerating decarbonization in the fuels sector. Among the available options, bio-based Fischer–Tropsch (FT) wax provides a chemically compatible and scalable route for refinery co-processing. In practice, such integration is most effectively implemented in hydrocracking units, which are highly sensitive to feedstock properties. A clear understanding of how renewable FT wax affects unit performance and product quality is therefore essential for reliable deployment. This study presents a rigorous evaluation of bio-FT wax co-processing in an industrial-scale hydrocracking unit using advanced simulations validated against operational plant data, ensuring high fidelity and practical relevance. A comprehensive set of blending scenarios was examined to quantify the influence of bio-FT wax on feed impurity mitigation, reactor thermodynamics, hydrogen consumption, and product distribution over the future implementation roadmap. The results reveal that increasing bio-FT wax content substantially reduces feed contaminants, lowers hydrogen demand, and moderates exothermic reactor profiles, while maintaining product yields and properties within specification limits. These findings demonstrate the technical viability and operational robustness of integrating bio-derived FT wax into existing hydrocracking infrastructure, highlighting its potential as a scalable, near-term pathway to produce lower-carbon fuels suitable for high-demand sectors such as aviation.