Effect of Silica, Activated Carbon, and Alumina Supports on NiMo Catalysts for Residue Upgrading

Kirtika Kohli, Ravindra Prajapati, Samir K. Maity and Brajendra Kumar Sharma
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Kirtika Kohli: Distillate and Heavy Oil Processing Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India
Ravindra Prajapati: Distillate and Heavy Oil Processing Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India
Samir K. Maity: Distillate and Heavy Oil Processing Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India
Brajendra Kumar Sharma: Prairie Research Institute−Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, University of Illinois Urbana−Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: The effect of different supports such as silica (SBA-15), activated carbon (AC), and mesoporous alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) on catalytic activities of hydrotreating nickel molybdenum (NiMo) catalysts was demonstrated for upgrading vacuum residue. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis showed that SBA-15 and the AC-supported NiMo catalyst possessed a very high surface area compared to the alumina-supported catalyst. However, NiMo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst possesses a higher pore diameter and pore volume with an appropriate surface area. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that active metals were dispersed in the catalytic supports. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed the presence of type II active MoS 2 sites in the NiMo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst, which showed weak metal-support interactions having a high intrinsic activity. Catalyst activities such as hydrodesulfurization (HDS), hydrodemetallization (HDM) and asphaltene conversion (HDAs), and hydrocracking conversions of a vacuum residue were evaluated. The highest hydrotreating and hydrocracking conversions were observed with the NiMo catalyst supported on mesoporous alumina. The results also supported that the catalyst that has a large pore diameter, high pore volume, and better active metals dispersion is highly desirable for the upgrading of a vacuum residue.

Keywords: SBA-15; mesoporous alumina; activated carbon; NiMo catalysts; vacuum residue; hydrotreating; hydrocracking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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