Activity of hydroprocessing catalysts prepared by reprocessing spent catalysts

In this study, two spent catalysts from the 3rd and 4th fixed beds of the atmospheric residue desulfurization (ARDS) process and one spent catalyst from the H-Oil process employing the expanded bed were used as the starting material for preparation of hydroprocessing catalysts. The spent catalysts were used either in a coked or decoked form. The procedures involved pulverizing the spent catalysts before mixing, kneading and extruding with boehmite in the presence of peptizing agent such as HNO₃. The hydrodesufurization (HDS) and hydrodemetallization (HDM) activities of the new catalysts were evaluated in the microreactor using the atmospheric residue derived from Kuwait crude. The new catalysts prepared from the spent catalysts used in the fixed bed reactors exhibited higher activity than that of commercial catalysts. The HDS activity of the new catalysts prepared from spent catalysts used in the ebullated bed reactor was much lower than that of the other catalysts. This was attributed to a high content of vanadium in the former spent catalyst. At the same time, the adverse effect of vanadium on HDM was much less evident.