Multi-Metallic Catalyst Macroporous Silica Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The petroleum industry faces challenges in hydroconversion processes using catalysts for heavy hydrocarbon feeds, as highly porous catalysts often lack sufficient surface area and catalytic activity, leading to inefficient conversions and low yield in hydrotreating processes.
Innovation Solution
A bulk multi-metallic catalyst is developed by sulfiding a catalyst precursor comprising Group VIB and Group VIII metal compounds, with a monomodal pore size distribution of primarily macropores and a total pore volume of at least 0.08 g/cc, optimized for high surface area and porosity to enhance catalytic activity in hydroprocessing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a catalyst is made highly porous to increase open volume, then mass transfer resistance decreases and through flow is facilitated, but surface area decreases and catalytic activity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous silica support material with controlled pore structure (average pore diameter of 10-500 nm, total pore volume of 0.08-0.50 mL/g) to provide both adequate mass transfer pathways and sufficient surface area for catalytic activity. The porous structure allows heavy hydrocarbon molecules to diffuse efficiently while maintaining high surface area through the interconnected pore network.
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst is designed as a composite material combining metal active components (Group VIB metals like Mo, W and Group VIII metals like Ni, Pd, Pt) supported on porous silica. This composite structure integrates the mass transfer advantages of porous materials with the catalytic activity of metal sites, achieving both high through-flow and high catalytic performance simultaneously.
2Ease of manufacture
If a bulk catalyst is used to simplify catalyst structure, then manufacturing is easier and cost is reduced, but surface area is limited and catalytic activity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk catalyst incorporates a porous silica support that dramatically increases the available surface area compared to non-porous bulk materials. The porous structure provides an extensive internal surface area (achieved through controlled pore volume and diameter) while maintaining a simple bulk catalyst form factor that is easy to manufacture and handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes key parameters of the porous support including pore diameter (10-500 nm), pore volume (0.08-0.50 mL/g), and metal loading (0.1-10 wt%) to achieve the desired balance between ease of manufacture and high surface area. By controlling these parameters during preparation, the catalyst attains both manufacturing simplicity and high catalytic activity.
3Productivity
If metal loading is increased to enhance catalytic activity, then conversion yield improves, but pore blockage increases and mass transfer resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes metal loading within a specific range (0.1-10 wt%) to achieve high catalytic activity without excessive pore blockage. This controlled parameter approach ensures sufficient metal sites for high conversion yield while maintaining adequate pore openness for efficient mass transfer of heavy hydrocarbon molecules.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal active components are distributed throughout the porous silica support structure, creating localized catalytic sites within the pore network. This distributed arrangement ensures that metal particles are accessible to reactants through the pore system, maintaining both high catalytic activity and efficient mass transfer by avoiding concentrated blockage.
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 achieves high yield conversions and improved catalytic performance in hydrotreating heavy oil feeds, with enhanced pore volume and surface area, overcoming diffusion limitations and increasing the efficiency of hydroconversion processes.
Implementation Method 1
sulfiding a catalyst precursor comprising at least a Group VIB metal compound
Implementation Method 2
treating the feedstocks with hydrogen in the presence of catalysts to effect conversion of at least a portion of the feeds to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons
Implementation Method 3
having sufficient open volume (porosity) for low mass transfer resistance and facilitate efficient through flow of reactors
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing a bulk multi-metallic catalyst for hydrotreating heavy oil feeds is provided. The catalyst is particularly suitable for hydrotreating heavy oil feeds having a boiling point in the range of 343° C. (650° F.)- to 454° C. (850° F.), an average molecular weight Mn ranging from 300 to 400, and an average molecular diameter ranging from 0.9 nm to 1.7 nm. The bulk multi-metallic catalyst is prepared by sulfiding a catalyst precursor that has an essentially monomodal pore volume distribution with at least 95% of the pores being macropores, and having a total pore volume of at least 0.08 g/cc.