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CATALYST EVALUATION FOR DENITROGENATION OF PETROLEUM RESIDUA AND COAL LIQUIDS
Citation:
Kang, C. AND J. Gendler. CATALYST EVALUATION FOR DENITROGENATION OF PETROLEUM RESIDUA AND COAL LIQUIDS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-78/159 (NTIS PB287180), 1978.
Description:
The report covers the final phase of a study of catalysts for demetallization of heavy residual oils and for denitrogenation. Objectives were to evaluate some commercial catalysts for denitrogenation activity in petroleum residua and coal liquids, and then to develop an improved catalyst for denitrogenation of heavy coal liquids. Under one task, two commercial catalysts failed to reduce nitrogen content of a petroleum vacuum residual from 0.67% to the 0.3% target. The observed catalyst deactivation rate is similar to that of catalysts with similar pore structures which are being used for hydrodesulfurization of petroleum residual. Under another task, attempts to denitrogenate heavy coal-derived liquids with commercial Co-Mo catalysts pointed to the need for improved catalysts. In the task to improve catalysts, Ni-Mo was identified as a better active metal pair than Co-Mo or Ni-W for denitrogenation of coal liquids. Commercial preparation techniques and lower carbon deposition also increased denitrogenation activity. On the basis of catalyst weight, a bimodal pore distribution with some macropores showed better denitrogenation activity than that with micropores only. Efforts to find the optimum pore distribution were hampered by lack of technology to enlarge macropores. One experimental catalyst was tried. Denitrogenation activity did not decrease despite a low surface area.