Feasibility Assessment on Remanufacturing of Ni–Mo/γ–Al2O3 Catalyst for Residue Hydrodesulfurization

Abstract

Residue hydrodesulfurization (RHDS) is a critical process in the petroleum refining industry for removing sulfur compounds from heavy residual oils. However, catalysts used in RHDS can easily be deactivated by numerous factors, leading to reduced process efficiency and economic benefits. The remanufacturing of spent catalysts can be a useful strategy for extending the lifespan of catalysts, reducing waste, and improving process sustainability. This paper proposes an effective catalyst remanufacturing process for commercial RHDS catalysts. In detail, sequential unit processes including oil washing (OW), complete incineration (CI), and acid leaching (AL) were conducted to remanufacture the spent RHDS catalysts. We also highlight some of the key challenges in remanufacturing catalysts, such as the key factors involved in catalyst deactivation. Finally, we provide future perspectives on the development of an effective catalyst remanufacturing process for RHDS, with the goal of improving the efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness of the petroleum refining industry.

A facile method of treating spent catalysts via using solvent for recovering undamaged catalyst support

“…Solvent extraction has received much attention recently for removing oil from spent HDS catalysts. Organic solvents such as naphtha [ 34 ], acetone [ 35 – 37 ], n-heptane [ 38 ], and toluene [ 39 , 40 ] have been studied. The most notable benefit of the solvent extraction process is high oil recovery efficiency when performing catalyst remediation.…”

Ni-Based Catalysts: Synthesis and Applications Today

“…Besides applications, catalyst regeneration or remanufacturing is another very important task to maintain the catalysts in operation as long as possible. To this end, Ahn et al investigated remanufacturing of the spent Ni-Mo catalyst for residue hydrodesulfurization [4].…”