Multimetallic Hydrocracking Catalyst for UCO Bleed and Sedimentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The issue of sedimentation and compatibility challenges in hydrocracking operations due to entrained residual oil, which leads to reduced hydrocracker performance and increased sedimentation risks, especially when processing blends of light and heavy crudes.
Innovation Solution
A self-supported multi-metallic catalyst prepared from a hydroxide precursor is positioned in the top level of a two-stage hydrocracking system to saturate key feed components before they are stripped into incompatible aromatic cores, disrupting sedimentation and maintaining compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydroprocessing strips residual oil molecules down to polycyclic aromatic cores, then the solvent becomes more saturated and less aromatic, but compatibility is lost and sedimentation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst is positioned in the top level of the second stage to perform preliminary saturation of key feed components before they are stripped into incompatible aromatic cores. This proactive saturation prevents the formation of incompatible solute-solvent combinations that would lead to sedimentation, rather than addressing compatibility issues after they arise.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the feed by saturating key components at a specific stage in the hydrocracking process. This modification of the feed's chemical parameters (increasing saturation, reducing aromaticity of key components) prevents the compatibility loss that would otherwise occur during subsequent stripping operations.
2Reliability
If multi-metallic co-gel catalyst is used in the upper level of the second stage, then sedimentation is disrupted and compatibility is maintained, but the complexity of the catalyst system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by positioning a specific type of catalyst (multi-metallic co-gel from hydroxide precursor) in a specific location (top level of the second stage) where it is most needed for sedimentation disruption. This localized application of enhanced catalyst functionality addresses the sedimentation problem at its source without requiring system-wide catalyst replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-metallic co-gel catalyst represents a composite material combining multiple metal components in a gel structure derived from hydroxide precursors. This composite catalyst provides enhanced functionality for disrupting sedimentation and maintaining compatibility, achieving superior performance through material composition rather than process complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If opportunity blends of light and heavy crudes are processed, then refinery flexibility increases, but entrainment of residual oil in the hydrocracker feed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of residual oil entrainment into a benefit by using the multi-metallic co-gel catalyst to selectively saturate key components from the residual oil fraction. This transforms the problematic residual oil that would cause sedimentation into a controlled feed component that maintains compatibility, allowing refineries to process opportunity blends with higher residual oil content without compromising hydrocracker performance.
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
The catalyst system effectively reduces sedimentation, enhances hydrocracker performance, and increases the yield of valuable products by maintaining compatibility and reducing the bleed rate, even with recalcitrant feeds.
Implementation Method 1
The catalyst system achieves this by saturating key feed components before the feed components are stripped into their incompatible aromatic cores
Implementation Method 2
The catalytic reactions at that point in the two-stage system maintain compatibility through the use of a catalyst which is effective in saturating key feed components
Data Source
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AI summary
A catalyst system has been designed that disrupts the sedimentation process. The catalyst system achieves this by saturating key feed components before the feed components are stripped into their incompatible aromatic cores. The efficacy of this disruptive catalyst system is particularly evident in a hydrocracker configuration that runs in two-stage-recycle operation. The catalyst is a self-supported multi-metallic catalyst prepared from a precursor in the hydroxide form, and the catalyst must be toward the top level of the second stage of the two-stage system.