Feedstock hydrogenation effect

Figure 5. Effect of feedstock hydrogen content on response to fluid catalytic...

Utilisa tion of shale oil products for petrochemical production has been studied (47—51). The effects of prerefining on product yields for steam pyrolysis of shale oil feed and the suitabiUty of Green River shale oil as a petrochemical feedstock were investigated. Pyrolysis was carried out on the whole oil, vacuum distillate, and mildly, moderately, and severely hydrogenated vacuum distillates. 

Improved feedstock pretreatment is important to minimize catalyst consumption and reduce subsequent spent-catalyst handling requirements. Selective hydrogenation of dienes can be used to reduce acid consumption, both in HF and H2SO4 alkylation (29). More effective adsorptive treating systems have been appHed to remove oxygen-containing contaminants that are frequently introduced in upstream processing steps. 

Manufacture of thiophene on the commercial scale involves reactions of the two component method type wherein a 4-carbon chain molecule reacts with a source of sulfur over a catalyst which also effects cyclization and aromatization. A range of suitable feedstocks has included butane, / -butanol, -butyraldehyde, crotonaldehyde, and furan the source of sulfur has included sulfur itself, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon disulfide (29—32). 

Pretreating the feedstocks with hydrogen is not always effective in reducing heavy metals, and it is expensive. Other means that proved successful are modifying the composition and the microporous structure of the catalyst or adding metals like Sb, Bi or Sn, or Sb-Sn combination. Antimony organics have been shown to reduce by 50% gas formation due to metal contaminants, especially nickel. ... 

The asphaltenes are selectively converted with a low hydrogen consumption decreasing significantly the metal content in the product. Catalyst was tested during a six-month period, processing various heavy feedstocks and showing a stable performance. The yields and product quality reported indicated almost complete conversion of the feed and total metal removal. The net effect of the ABC pretreatment was found to be an increase in catalyst life, higher metal quality of the product oil, and increase distillate yields. 

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis requires a stochiometric H2 CO ratio of 2.1 1. If coal or biomass are used as feedstock, the raw syngas contains much less hydrogen than needed. Hence, CO is reacted with water to form C02 and hydrogen in the shift reactor. As the C02 cannot be used in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, part of the carbon for fuel production is lost in this process. If external hydrogen is added to increase the H2 CO ratio, the carbon of the coal or biomass is more effectively used and the hydrocarbon product yield is improved. 

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