Deoiled Spent Catalyst Slurry Reduces Metal Deposits
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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 the deoiled spent catalyst is treated to remove contaminants and reused in a hydrocarbon medium as a slurry.
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 creating a hierarchical pore structure with macro-pores (50-500 nm), meso-pores (2-50 nm), and micro-pores (0.5-2 nm). This multi-scale pore architecture increases the effective surface area and accessibility of active sites, thereby enhancing catalytic activity per unit mass of catalyst and reducing the required catalyst dosage while maintaining high conversion rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite catalyst materials combining metal nanoparticles (0.5-5 nm) dispersed on a hierarchical porous support structure. This composite architecture synergistically combines the high surface area of nanoparticles with the enhanced mass transport properties of hierarchical pores, improving catalytic efficiency and reducing the quantity of catalyst needed for effective heavy oil upgrading.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If high catalyst dosage is used to reduce solid accumulation in equipment, then metal deposit build-up decreases, but capital and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hierarchical pore structure with controlled pore size distribution (macro-pores 50-500 nm, meso-pores 2-50 nm, micro-pores 0.5-2 nm) optimizes mass transport and reduces the aggregation of metal contaminants. The macro-pores facilitate rapid removal of large metal-containing species, while meso and micro-pores provide extensive surface area for trapping and dispersing metal deposits, thereby reducing equipment build-up with lower catalyst dosages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hierarchical porous materials with a well-defined pore structure that spans multiple length scales. The macro-pores (50-500 nm) enable efficient transport and removal of metal contaminants, while the meso-pores (2-50 nm) and micro-pores (0.5-2 nm) provide high surface area for metal trapping. This porous architecture enhances the catalyst's ability to sequester metal deposits and prevent their accumulation in equipment.
3Productivity
If conventional catalysts are used for heavy oil upgrading, then basic hydrotreating function is provided, but metal contaminant removal is insufficient and equipment build-up occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the catalyst structure by introducing a hierarchical pore system with macro-pores (50-500 nm), meso-pores (2-50 nm), and micro-pores (0.5-2 nm). This multi-scale architecture enhances both the hydrotreating conversion activity and the metal contaminant removal capability by providing optimized mass transport pathways and increased surface area for metal trapping, thereby simultaneously improving productivity and reducing harmful metal deposits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite catalyst systems combining metal nanoparticles (0.5-5 nm) with hierarchical porous supports. This composite structure provides synergistic effects where the metal nanoparticles catalyze hydrotreating reactions while the hierarchical porous support facilitates metal contaminant removal through enhanced surface area and optimized pore architecture, thereby addressing both conversion and metal removal requirements.
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 by 5% or more, extends catalyst life, and lowers operational costs by using a less expensive spent catalyst, while maintaining high conversion rates and catalytic activity.
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
Data Source
AI summary
A method to reduce metal deposit in the hydroprocessing or upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. The method comprises feeding an improved catalyst feed to the system, with the improved catalyst feed comprising 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 for the heavy oil upgrade system to have at least a 5% reduction in metal contaminant build-up compared to heavy oil upgrade system without the deoiled spent catalyst in the feed.