Resid and bitumen desulfurization - Task 4.5

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:16045

Olson, E S; Sharma, R K

Several catalysts that had previously exhibited activity for hydrodesulfurization of coal-derived liquids were tested with a high-sulfur Venezuelan bitumen and a widely marketed emulsion form of the bitumen (Orimulsion). Some of the catalysts were less active for desulfurization of the bitumen than the commercial hydrotreating catalysts. However, two catalysts were more active than the commercial catalysts. The most active catalyst for hydrodesulfurization was a nickel-and molybdenum-impregnated Y zeolite aluminosilicate cogel. This catalyst removed 75% of the sulfur from the moisture-free bitumen and 58% of the sulfur from the Orimulsion. A nickel-molybdenum catalyst supported on uranium oxide gave slightly better results than desulfurization with the commercial catalysts. Very inexpensive (disposable) iron catalysts were investigated for hydrodemetallization of the nickel and vanadium compounds present in the bitumen. The demetallization that occurs at high temperatures with the iron-impregnated clay catalyst did not occur at low temperatures. Thus, a demetallization pretreatment must be carried out at the same temperature as the hydrodesulfurization reaction. The proposed process would utilize two catalyst beds in series: the first of these would contain the replaceable iron-clay catalyst from which nickel and vanadium could be recovered, and the second would contain the more expensive nickel-molybdenum Y zeolite cogel, which would be seldom replaced,

• DOE Contract Number: FC21-93MC30097
• OSTI ID: 16045
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/30097--5369; ON: DE97002116
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
BITUMENS
CATALYST SUPPORTS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
DEMETALLIZATION
DESULFURIZATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROGENATION
IRON
MOLYBDENUM
NICKEL
URANIUM OXIDES
ZEOLITES