Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Catalyst That Can Be Used In Hydrotreatment, Comprising Metals Of Groups Viii And Vib, And Preparation With Acetic Acid And Dialkyl Succinate C1-C4

CATEGORY: HYDROTREATING
PATENT
Catalyst That Can Be Used In Hydrotreatment, Comprising Metals Of Groups Viii And Vib, And Preparation With Acetic Acid And Dialkyl Succinate C1-C4
United States Patent Application 20130008829
Inventors:
Marchand, Karin (Lyon, FR)
Guichard, Bertrand (Izeaux, FR)
Digne, Mathieu (Lyon, FR)
Rebeilleau, Michael (Harfleur, FR)
Lopez, Sylvie (Lyon, FR)
Hugon, Antoine (Lyon, FR)
Application Number:
13/516411
Publication Date:
01/10/2013
Assignee:
IFP Energies nouvelles (Rueil-Malmalson Cedex, FR)
Total Raffinage Marketing (La Defense, FR)
Abstract:
The invention relates to a catalyst usable in hydrotreatment processes, which comprises an alumina-based amorphous support, phosphorus, a C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, acetic acid and a hydro-dehydrogenizing function comprising at least one group VIII element and at least one group VIB element, preferably made up of cobalt and molybdenum, a catalyst whose Raman spectrum comprises the most intense bands characteristic of the Keggin heteropolyanions (974 and/or 990 cm−1), C1-C4 dialkyl succinate and acetic acid (896 cm−1). Preferably, the dialkyl succinate concerned is dimethyl succinate and its main band is at 853 cm−1.
The invention also relates to the method of preparing said catalyst, wherein a catalytic precursor comprising the group VIB and group VIII elements, in particular the molybdenum-cobalt pair, and phosphorus, introduced by impregnation, then dried at a temperature below 180° C., is impregnated by the C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, the acetic acid and the phosphorus compound, if the latter has not been entirely introduced beforehand, then, after maturation, dried at a temperature below 180° C. prior to being optionally sulfurized.
The invention also relates to the use of this catalyst in any hydrotreatment process.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a catalyst, its method of preparation and its use in the sphere of hydrotreatments.
Usually, the purpose of a hydrocarbon cut hydrotreatment catalyst is to eliminate the sulfur or nitrogen compounds contained in such cuts so that a petroleum product meets the required specifications for example (sulfur content, aromatics content, etc.) for a given application (car fuel, gasoline or diesel fuel, heating oil, jet fuel). The goal can also be to pre-treat this feed so as to eliminate the impurities it contains prior to subjecting it to various conversion processes in order to modify the physico-chemical properties thereof, such as, for example, reforming, vacuum distillate hydrocracking, catalytic cracking, atmospheric or vacuum residue hydroconversion processes. The composition and the use of hydrotreatment catalysts are particularly well described in the article by B. S. Clausen, H. T. Topsøe and F. E. Massoth, from the book Catalysis Science and Technology, Vol. 11 (1996), Springer-Verlag. After sulfurization, several surface species are present on the support, which do not all show good performances for the desired reactions. These species are particularly well described in the publication by Topsøe et al. published in issue No. 26 of Catalysis Review Science and Engineering of 1984, pp. 395-420.
The tightening of vehicle pollution standards in the European Community (Official Journal of the European Union, L76, 22 Mar. 2003, Directive 2003/70/CE, pp. L76/10-L76/19) has compelled refiners to considerably reduce the sulfur content in diesel fuels and gasolines (maximum 10 ppm weight of sulfur on 1 Jan. 2009, vs. 50 ppm on 1 Jan. 2005). Besides, refiners are compelled to use feeds that are increasingly refractory to hydrotreatment processes, on the one hand because crudes are increasingly heavy and therefore contain more and more impurities and, on the other hand, because of the increase of conversion processes in refineries. In fact, the latter generate cuts that are more difficult to hydrotreat than cuts directly resulting from atmospheric distillation. An example thereof is the diesel cut obtained from catalytic cracking, also referred to as LCO (Light Cycle Oil) in reference to its high aromatic compounds content. These cuts are co-treated with the diesel cut obtained from atmospheric distillation; they require catalysts having highly improved hydrodesulfurizing and hydrogenizing functions in relation to conventional catalysts so as to decrease the aromatics content in order to obtain a density and a cetane number in accordance with specifications.
Besides, conversion processes such as catalytic cracking or hydrocracking use catalysts having an acid function, which makes them particularly sensitive to the presence of nitrogen impurities, and particularly basic nitrogen compounds. It is therefore necessary to use catalysts for pre-treating these feeds so as to remove these compounds. These hydrotreatment catalysts also require an improved hydrogenizing function insofar as the first hydrodenitrogenation stage is known as a stage of hydrogenation of the aromatic ring adjacent to the C—N bond.
It is therefore interesting to find means of preparing hydrotreatment catalysts allowing to obtain new catalysts with improved performances.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Adding an organic compound to hydrotreatment catalysts in order to improve their activity is now well known to the person skilled in the art. Many patents protect the use of various ranges of organic compounds such as mono-, di- or polyalcohols, possibly etherized (WO96/41848, WO01/76741, U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,340, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,673, EP601722). Catalysts modified with C2-C14 monoesters are described in patent applications EP466568 and EP1046424, however these modifications do not always allow to sufficiently increase the performances of the catalyst in order to meet the specifications relative to the sulfur contents of fuels, which have become increasingly restricting for refiners.
In order to overcome this, patent WO2006/077326 filed by the TOTAL Company proposes using a catalyst comprising groups VIB and VIII metals, a refractory oxide as the support and an organic compound, comprising at least 2 carboxylic ester functions of formula R1-O—CO—R2-CO—O—R1 or R1-CO—O—R2-O—CO—R1 wherein each R1 independently represents a C1 to C18 alkyl group, a C2 to C18 alkenyl group, a C6 to C18 aryl group, a C3 to C8 cycloalkyl group, a C7 to C20 alkylaryl or arylalkyl group, or the 2 groups R1 jointly form a C2 to C18 divalent group, and R2 represents a C1 to C18 alkylene group, a C6 to C18 arylene group, a C3 to C7 cycloalkylene group, or a combination thereof, and the carbon chain of the hydrocarbon groups represented by R1 and R2 can contain or carry one or more heteroatoms selected from among N, S and O, and each group R1 and R2 can carry one or more substituents of formula
—C(═O)O—R1 or —O—C(═O)—R1, where R1 has the aforementioned meaning. A preferred mode uses C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, and in particular dimethyl succinate that is exemplified. These compounds can be introduced in the presence of a solvent (a considerable list of solvents is mentioned) or of a carboxylic acid. Among the about thirty acids notably mentioned, there is acetic acid, which is however not mentioned among the ten preferred acids. It can be noted already that citric acid is preferred.
The catalyst preparation method as described in patent WO2006/077326 comprises maturation and thermal treatment stages that can last up to several days, for example from 49 days to 115 days, which would greatly limit the production of these catalysts and would therefore require improvements.
Other patents of the prior art describe an activity gain linked with the combined use of an organic acid or an alcohol on a hydrotreatment catalyst. Thus, patent application No.JP1995-136523 filed by KK Japan Energy provides a solution consisting in:
preparing according to a first preferred mode of the invention a solution containing a catalyst support, one or more metals from group VI of the periodic table and from group VIII, an organic acid. According to a second preferred mode of the invention, this solution also comprises a phosphorus precursor.
carrying out a thermal treatment between 200° C. and 400° C.,
carrying out impregnation of the catalyst obtained above by an organic acid or an alcohol with a ratio of 0.1 to 2 per mole of metals.
One of the preferred modes of the invention then comprises drying at a temperature below 200° C., whereas a second preferred mode of the invention comprises a final thermal treatment at a temperature greater than or equal to 400° C.
It has been observed that these catalysts do not have a sufficient activity to meet the new environmental standards in the face of the increasingly hydrogen-poor feeds available to refiners.
Similarly, patent WO2005/035691 claims an activation method that schematically allows to decrease the proportion of crystallized phase of CoMoO4 type present on the regenerated catalysts comprising groups VIII and VIB metal oxides, a method comprising contacting the regenerated catalyst with an acid and an organic additive. Therefore, the citric acid (CA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) combination has been used on a regenerated catalyst in many examples.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a catalyst and to its preparation method, the catalyst being usable for hydrotreatment and allowing to improve the catalytic performances (notably the catalytic activity) in relation to the catalysts of the prior art. In fact, it has been shown that using the pair made up of C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, in particular dimethyl, and of acetic acid on a dried catalytic precursor surprisingly leads to a markedly improved catalytic activity in comparison with each one of the compounds of the pair.
More precisely, the invention relates to a catalyst comprising an alumina-based amorphous support, phosphorus, at least one C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, acetic acid and a hydro-dehydrogenizing function comprising at least one group VIII element and at least one group VIB element, a catalyst whose Raman spectrum comprises the bands at 990 and/or 974 cm−1 characteristic of at least one Keggin heteropolyanion, the bands characteristic of said succinate and the main band at 896 cm−1 characteristic of acetic acid. The hydro-dehydrogenizing function preferably consists of cobalt and molybdenum. It can also comprise at least one group VIII element and at least one group VIB element, except for the hydro-dehydrogenizing function consisting of cobalt and molybdenum.
The catalyst obtained has a characteristic Raman spectrum grouping together:
1) Bands characteristic of the heteropolyanion(s) of Keggin PXY11O40x− and/or PY12O40x− type where Y is a group VIB metal and X is a group VIII metal.
According to Griboval, Blanchard, Payen, Fournier, Dubois in Catalysis Today 45 (1998) 277 FIG. 3e), the main bands of the PCoMo11O40x− structure are on a dried catalyst at 232, 366, 943, 974 cm−1 and, according to M. T. Pope “Heteropoly and Isopoly oxometalates”, Springer Verlag, p 8, these bands are not characteristic of the nature of atom X or Y, but of the structure of the HPA. The most intense band characteristic of this type of lacunar Keggin HPA is at 974 cm−1.
According to Griboval, Blanchard, Gengembre, Payen, Fournier, Dubois, Bernard, Journal of Catalysis 188 (1999) 102, FIG. 1a), the main bands of PMo12O40x− are in the mass state of the HPA, for example with cobalt as the counterion at 251, 603, 902, 970, 990 cm−1. The most intense band characteristic of this Keggin HPA is at 990 cm−1. M. T. Pope “Heteropoly and Isopoly oxometalates”, Springer Verlag, p 8, also teaches us that these bands are not characteristic of the nature of atom X or Y, but of the structure of the Keggin HPA, complete, lacunar or substituted.
2) Bands characteristic of the dialkyl succinate(s) used. The Raman spectrum of the dimethyl succinate is a univocal fingerprint of this molecule. In the 300-1800 cm−1 spectral zone, this spectrum is characterized by the series of bands as follows (only the most intense bands are recorded, in cm−1): 391, 853 (most intense band), 924, 964, 1739 cm−1. The spectrum of the diethyl succinate comprises, in the spectral zone considered, the main bands as follows: 861 (most intense band), 1101, 1117 cm−1. Similarly, for the dibutyl succinate: 843, 1123, 1303, 1439, 1463 cm−1 and the diisopropyl succinate: 833, 876, 1149, 1185, 1469 (most intense band), 1733 cm−1.
3) Bands characteristic of acetic acid, with the main ones: 448, 623, 896 cm−1. The most intense band is 896 cm−1.
The exact position of the bands, their shapes and their relative intensities can vary to a certain extent depending on the spectrum recording conditions, while remaining characteristic of this molecule. The Raman spectra of the organic compounds are besides well documented, either in the Raman spectrum databases (see for example Spectral Database for Organic Compounds, http://riodb01.ibase.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/direct_frame_top.cgi), or by the suppliers of the product (see for example www.sigmaaldrich.com).
The Raman spectra are obtained with a dispersive Raman type spectrometer equipped with an ionized argon laser (514 nm). The laser beam is focussed on the sample by means of a microscope equipped with a ×50 long working distance objective. The power of the laser at the level of the sample is of the order of 1 mW. The Raman signal emitted by the sample is collected by the same objective and dispersed by means of a 1800 rpm network, then collected by a CCD detector. The spectral resolution obtained is of the order of 0.5 cm−1. The spectral zone recorded ranges between 300 and 1800 cm−1. The acquisition time is set at 120 s for each Raman spectrum recorded.
Preferably, the dialkyl succinate used is dimethyl succinate, and the catalyst has in its spectrum the main Raman bands at 990 and/or 974 cm−1 characteristic of the Keggin heteropolyanion(s), 853 cm−1 characteristic of dimethyl succinate and 896 cm−1 characteristic of acetic acid.
Preferably, the catalyst of the invention comprises a support consisting of alumina or silica-alumina.
The catalyst according to the invention can also comprise boron and/or fluorine and/or silicon.
A method of preparing the catalyst according to the invention is also described. It comprises at least one stage of impregnation of a catalytic precursor dried at a temperature below 180° C., containing at least phosphorus and a hydro-dehydrogenizing function, as well as an amorphous support, by an impregnation solution comprising the combination of acetic acid and C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, followed by a stage of maturation of said impregnated catalytic precursor, then a drying stage at a temperature below 180° C., without subsequent calcination stage (thermal treatment in air). The catalyst obtained is preferably subjected to a sulfurization stage.
The hydro-dehydrogenizing function comprises at least one group VIII element and at least one group VIB element. Preferably, the hydro-dehydrogenizing function consists of cobalt and molybdenum.
The simple and fast preparation method, with unit stages that do not exceed some hours, thus allows to obtain a higher productivity on the industrial scale than the methods of the prior art.
More precisely, the method of preparing a hydrotreatment catalyst according to the invention comprises the successive stages as follows, which will be detailed below:
a) at least one stage of impregnation of an alumina-based amorphous support by at least one solution containing the elements of the hydro-dehydrogenizing function and phosphorus. The product obtained is referred to as “catalytic precursor”,
b) drying at a temperature below 180° C. without subsequent calcination. The product obtained is referred to as “dried catalytic precursor”,
c) at least one stage of impregnation by an impregnation solution comprising at least one C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, acetic acid and at least one phosphorus compound, if the latter has not been entirely introduced in stage a). The product obtained is referred to as “impregnated dried catalytic precursor”,
d) a maturation stage,
e) a drying stage at a temperature below 180° C., without subsequent calcination stage. The product obtained is referred to as “catalyst”.
Preferably, the product obtained at the end of stage e) is subjected to a sulfurization stage f).
As described below, the method according to the invention is preferably carried out with the following modes, alone or in combination: the support consists of alumina or silica-alumina; all of the hydrogenizing function is introduced in stage a); all of the phosphorus is introduced in stage a); the dialkyl succinate is dimethyl succinate; stage c) is carried out in the absence of solvent; stage d) is carried out at a temperature ranging from 17° C. to 50° C.; stage e) is carried out at a temperature ranging between 80° C. and 160° C.
More preferably, the method according to the invention comprises the successive stages as follows:
a) at least one stage of dry impregnation of said support by a solution containing all of the elements of the hydro-dehydrogenizing function and all of the phosphorus,
b) drying at a temperature ranging between 75° C. and 130° C. without subsequent calcination,
c) at least one stage of dry impregnation by an impregnation solution comprising dimethyl succinate and acetic acid,
d) a maturation stage at 17° C.-50° C.,
e) a drying stage, preferably under nitrogen, at a temperature ranging between 80° C. and 160° C., without subsequent calcination stage.
The catalytic precursor containing the hydro-dehydrogenizing function and an alumina-based amorphous support, as well as its preparation mode, are described below.
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