Direct slurry-phase hydrocracking of crude oil using trimetallic nanocatalyst. (15th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rawat, Ashutosh; Dhakla, Sonu; Tyagi, Lovely; Maity, Samir K.; Lama, Prem
• Is Part Of: Fuel. Volume 330(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12-15
• Subjects: Crude oil -- Slurry hydrocracking -- Trimetallic catalysts; Fuel -- Periodicals; Coal -- Periodicals; Coal; Fuel; Periodicals; 662.6
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2022.125448
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-2361

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Three different forms of NiCoMo trimetallic dispersed catalysts i.e., as-synthesized (AS), oil soluble (OS) and sulfided (PS) catalyst have been synthesized for the upgradation of crude oil using slurry-phase hydrocracking reaction and their comparative study have been presented in this work. Highlights: Slurry-phase hydrocracking of crude oil has been performed by three different forms of NiCoMo trimetallic catalyst i.e. as-synthesized (AS), oil soluble (OS), sulfided (PS). No solid coke formation occured upon hydroprocessing of crude oil. Oil soluble catalyst shows greater hydrocracking of crude oil than as-synthesized (AS) and sulfided (PS) forms of NiCoMo trimetallic catalyst. Heavy VGO (Vacuum Gas Oil), VR (Vacuum residue), sulphur, viscosity, asphaltene decreases in the hydroprocessed liquids. Abstract: Crude to chemicals has become a very relevant topic to the refineries to acquire supreme profit. In this respect, slurry hydrocracking of crude oil plays an essential role to upgrade the crude oil as an upfront process. Three different trimetallic NiCoMo dispersed catalysts i.e., as-synthesized (AS), oil soluble (OS) and sulfided (PS) catalyst have been synthesized for the upgradation of Bombay High crude oil using slurry-phase hydrocracking reaction. Upon hydrocracking of the crude oil, the quality of the obtained liquid product was enhanced and characterized using simulated distillation, viscometer, SARA (saturate, aromatic, resin, asphaltene) analysis. The three different forms of the catalyst were examined using several analytical techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, TGA and BET surface area analyzer. From the hydrocracking reaction using AS catalyst, the results show a decrease in the amount of heavy VGO (>450 °C hydrocarbons) from 9.27 to 6.99 wt% and an increase in middle distillate (150 °C-350 °C) from 34.75 to 43.14 wt%. On using OS catalyst, the heavy VGO decreased from 9.27 to 5.59 wt% and middle distillate increased from 34.75 to 41.4 wt%. Finally, when PS catalyst was used, the heavy VGO decreased from 9.27 to 6.35 wt% and middle distillate increased from 34.75 to 52.92 wt%. Additionally, the asphaltene, vacuum residue (>565 ℃ hydrocarbons) (VR), viscosity, micro carbon residue (MCR) also gets decreased in the hydrocracked liquid product thereby revealing the synergistic catalytic effect of the trimetallic NiCoMo dispersed nanocatalysts.