Testing of Hydroprocessing Catalysts: Simplest Is Still Fully Scalable

CATEGORY: HYDROPROCESSING 
Testing of Hydroprocessing Catalysts: Simplest Is Still Fully Scalable

Type	Conference Paper
Author	Roel Moonen
URL	https://nam.confex.com/nam/2015/webprogram/Paper12162.html
Date	2015/06/16
Conference Name	24th North American Catalysis Society Meeting
Abstract	Introduction The relevance of hydroprocessing needs no further introduction. Even in today’s increasing use of shale gas there will always be a need to treat liquid oil fractions and as a result programs for catalyst improvement move at a steady pace. For reasons of efficiency and cost reduction, the scale at which this testing can be carried out has long been subject of investigation. Table 1 shows a non exhaustive overview of comparison studies for hydro processing catalysts under industrial conditions. We intend to show that the smallest scale at which experiments can be carried out is still relevant. This so-called nano flow scale at which extrudates are packed as a single stack and good flow characteristics are ensured by an inert diluents is shown in Figure 1. Materials and Methods Experiments were carried out on the Flowrence© parallel fixed bed reactor system, which has 16 reactors. Feeds and catalysts were acquired from industrial sources. Reaction conditions were equal to those used in commercial processes. Results and Discussion We were able to show that it is possible to accurately test extrudates at the nanoflow scale, using the single stacked bed approach. • Proof of plug flow: 99.9% conversion in the hydro desulfurization of straight run gas oil to 8 ppm sulfur level • Successful hydro de-sulfurization and hydro de-nitrogenation of viscous gas oil • Comparison of crushed versus whole extrudate o in case of low activity, no differences were found. o In case of high activity, as expected, crushed catalysts were more active o Successful comparison of nano flow to bench and pilot scale in the hydrocracking of doped viscous gas oil o Same catalyst ranking o Comparable conversion and selectivity levels. The small offset could be explained by way of the better isothermal properties of the nano flow reactors Significance There is a well known aphorism ‘Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler’. We would like to propose that for testing of hydroprocessing catalysts ‘Simplest is still fully scalable’.