Nanometer Iron Sulfide Catalyst for Slurry Hydrocracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy oils, particularly those extracted from oil sands, pose challenges in hydroconversion due to low reactivity, high coking tendency, and difficulties in distillation, requiring efficient upgrading processes that minimize coke formation and sulfur addition.
Innovation Solution
The use of nanometer-sized iron sulfide crystallites, produced from iron oxide in bauxite without thermal treatment, as catalysts in slurry hydrocracking (SHC) reactions, which maintains catalytically active iron sulfide in the nanometer range, reducing coke formation and sulfur addition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If iron sulfate monohydrate is used as catalyst and thermally treated to remove water, then catalytic activity is improved, but sulfur is added to the system which must be removed from products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the catalyst from iron sulfate monohydrate (FeSO4·H2O) to iron oxide (Fe2O3) or iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)3). This parameter change eliminates the sulfur content in the catalyst precursor, thereby preventing sulfur addition to the hydrocarbon feedstock while maintaining catalytic activity through the formation of iron sulfide during the reaction process.
2Productivity
If catalyst is ground to very small particle diameter to facilitate dispersion and mass transfer, then reaction efficiency is improved, but catalyst surface area increases leading to higher sulfur contribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of the catalyst from very fine ground particles to larger particles with diameter of 0.5 to 5.0 mm. This parameter change reduces the total surface area of the catalyst, thereby reducing the contribution of sulfur to the hydrocarbon feedstock while maintaining adequate dispersion and mass transfer through the larger particle size and iron oxide composition.
3Reliability
If iron sulfate is dried in-situ to remove water, then conversion to iron sulfide is improved, but water inhibition of conversion limits the rate of iron sulfide formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter from iron sulfate monohydrate to iron oxide or iron hydroxide, which do not contain crystalline water. This parameter change eliminates the water inhibition effect on iron sulfide formation, allowing rapid and complete conversion to iron sulfide during the hydrocracking reaction without limiting the rate of catalyst activation.
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 enhances the conversion of heavy hydrocarbons to lighter products with reduced mesophase formation, improving API gravity and minimizing sulfur addition, thus achieving superior conversion efficiency with less catalyst and reduced coke generation.
Implementation Method 1
The iron oxide is converted to iron sulfide in the nanometer range through reaction with sulfur
Implementation Method 2
nanometer-sized iron sulfide crystallites, produced from iron oxide in bauxite without thermal treatment, as catalysts in slurry hydrocracking (SHC) reactions
Data Source
AI summary
A process and apparatus is disclosed for converting heavy hydrocarbon feed into lighter hydrocarbon products. The heavy hydrocarbon feed is slurried with a catalyst comprising iron oxide and alumina to form a heavy hydrocarbon slurry and hydrocracked to produce lighter hydrocarbons. The iron sulfide crystallites have diameters in the nanometer range.