Deoiled Spent Catalyst Feed System for Heavy Oil Upgrading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The petroleum industry faces challenges in upgrading heavy oils and residua due to high sulfur and nitrogen content, along with metal contaminants like nickel, vanadium, and iron, which lead to equipment build-up and increased costs, necessitating more effective catalysts and processes for hydrotreating.
Innovation Solution
A catalyst feed system comprising a deoiled spent catalyst with reduced catalytic activity and a fresh slurry catalyst is used to trap metal contaminants, reducing deposits and maintaining catalytic activity, while also employing a method to prepare this catalyst feed by deoiling spent catalysts and treating them to remove contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high catalyst dosage is used to improve conversion rate and reduce solid accumulation, then conversion rate increases and solid accumulation decreases, but capital and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the catalyst by using sulfided catalysts with specific metal compositions (Ni, Co, Mo, W) and controlled particle size distributions (0.1-10 micrometers). The catalyst is treated with H2S to create sulfided surfaces that enhance metal trapping capability while maintaining catalytic activity, allowing effective operation at optimized dosages without excessive costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite catalyst systems combining multiple metals (Ni-Mo, Co-W, or Ni-Co) with sulfide compounds formed in situ. This composite structure creates synergistic effects where the sulfided surface provides metal trapping sites while the metal组合 maintains catalytic function, achieving both high conversion and reduced solid accumulation at economically viable catalyst dosages
2Object-affected harmful factors
If high catalyst dosage is used to reduce solid accumulation in process equipment, then metal deposits decrease, but capital and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of metal contaminants into a beneficial function by designing the catalyst with high metal trapping capability. The sulfided catalyst surface actively binds nickel, vanadium, and iron contaminants, preventing them from depositing on equipment. The catalyst essentially 'eats' the harmful metals, converting them from process contaminants into trapped species on the catalyst surface that can be removed with the spent catalyst
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the catalyst surface parameters through sulfidation treatment, creating a surface chemistry that is highly effective at trapping metal contaminants. The controlled particle size (0.1-10 micrometers) and sulfide composition create optimal surface area and binding sites for metal accumulation, reducing equipment deposits at economically reasonable catalyst dosages
3Object-affected harmful factors
If deoiled spent catalyst is used to trap metal contaminants, then metal deposit build-up reduces, but catalytic activity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial deoiling to the spent catalyst, removing only enough oil to enable effective metal trapping while preserving sufficient catalytic activity. The catalyst is not completely deoiled but rather partially treated to achieve the optimal balance between metal trapping capability and catalytic function, allowing it to continue performing both functions effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully controls the deoiling process parameters to achieve the desired balance. By adjusting the extent of deoiling, particle size, and sulfide composition, the catalyst maintains optimal properties for both trapping metals and performing hydroprocessing reactions, preventing complete deactivation while achieving effective contaminant removal
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces metal contaminant deposits in the upgrading process, maintains catalytic activity, and lowers costs by utilizing a less expensive spent catalyst, achieving high conversion rates and reduced equipment build-up.
Implementation Method 1
The deoiled spent catalyst is present in an amount of at least 10% the catalyst feed system to trap metal contaminants in the system and reduce metal deposits
Implementation Method 2
treating with hydrogen of various hydrocarbon fractions, or whole heavy feeds, or feedstocks, in the presence of hydrotreating catalysts to effect conversion of at least a portion of the feeds, or feedstocks to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons
Data Source
AI summary
An improved slurry catalyst feed system for heavy oil upgraded is provided. The catalyst feed system comprises a fresh slurry catalyst and a deoiled spent catalyst, with the deoiled spent catalyst being present in an amount of at least 10% the catalyst feed system. The deoiled spent catalyst is a slurry catalyst that has been used in a hydroprocessing operation resulting in than 80% but more than 10% of original catalytic activity, and containing less than 10 wt. % soluble hydrocarbons as unconverted heavy oil feed. The deoiled spent catalyst is slurried in a hydrocarbon medium as dispersed particles prior to being fed to the heavy oil upgrade system.