FCC Catalyst Boron Oxide Phosphorus Metal Passivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts face challenges in minimizing coke and hydrogen yields, especially when processing resid feeds containing high levels of transition metals like nickel and vanadium, which lead to decreased catalyst selectivity and stability.
Innovation Solution
A fluid catalytic cracking catalyst composition incorporating one or more boron oxide components and a phosphorus component, combined with a non-zeolitic matrix and a zeolite component, is used to reduce coke and hydrogen yields by passivating metal contaminants and enhancing zeolite stability, thereby improving catalyst selectivity and activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional FCC catalysts are used to process resid feeds, then cracking activity is maintained, but coke and hydrogen yields increase due to metal contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
Boron oxide acts as an intermediary substance that selectively interacts with contaminant metals (Ni, V, Fe) in the resid feed. The boron oxide forms stable compounds with these metals, preventing them from catalyzing unwanted dehydrogenation reactions. This mediator approach allows the catalyst to maintain cracking activity while suppressing coke and hydrogen formation by neutralizing the harmful metal contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of metal contaminants into a beneficial outcome. By incorporating boron oxide, the catalyst system transforms the presence of contaminant metals from a source of unwanted dehydrogenation into a controlled interaction that produces stable boron-metal compounds. This conversion reduces coke and hydrogen yields while maintaining or improving cracking activity, effectively turning the harmful contaminant presence into a beneficial selectivity enhancement.
2Productivity
If catalyst activity is increased to improve gasoline yield, then conversion efficiency improves, but selectivity decreases with higher coke and gas production
Solution Approach 1:
The boron oxide component provides localized selectivity enhancement at specific active sites on the catalyst surface. Rather than uniformly affecting all catalytic sites, the boron oxide selectively modifies the behavior of metal-contaminated sites, suppressing dehydrogenation reactions locally while leaving the main cracking function intact. This localized quality change allows high gasoline yield to be achieved without the corresponding increase in coke and gas that would otherwise occur.
3Adaptability or versatility
If resid feeds are processed to maximize heavy crude utilization, then feedstock versatility improves, but catalyst stability decreases due to metal deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The boron oxide is pre-incorporated into the catalyst structure before contact with resid feeds. This preliminary action ensures that boron oxide is already in position to interact with and neutralize metal contaminants as they are introduced with the resid feed. The preemptive presence of boron oxide prevents metal deposition from degrading catalyst stability, allowing sustained processing of metal-containing resid feeds without the usual stability losses.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) compositions, methods of manufacture and use. FCC catalyst compositions comprise particles first particle type comprising one or more boron oxide components and a first matrix component and a second particle type having a composition different from the first particle type, the second particle type comprising a second matrix component, a phosphorus component and 20 % to 95 % by weight of a zeolite component. The FCC catalyst compositions can be used to crack hydrocarbon feeds, particularly resid feeds containing high V and Ni, resulting in lower hydrogen and coke yields.