Carnegie Mellon University

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Exxonmobile Research and Engineering Company

Faiz Pourarian

David A Purta

Marc A Portnoff

Margaret A Nasta

Jingfeng Zhang

Gordon Frederick Stuntz

Jonathan Martin McConnachie

Heather A Elsen

Pallassana S Venkataraman

Patricia A Bielenberg

The present invention relates to the processing of hydrocarbon-containing feedstreams in the presence of an interstitial metal hydride comprised of at least one chemical element selected from Groups 3-11 (including the lanthanides, atomic numbers 58 to 71), and at least one chemical element selected from Groups 13-15 from the IUPAC Periodic Table of Elements. These interstitial metal hydrides, their catalysts and processes using these interstitial metal hydrides and catalysts of the present invention improve overall hydrogenation, product conversion, as well as sulfur reduction in hydrocarbon feedstreams.

Group 13-15 interstitial metal hydride catalysts and associated processes

The present invention relates to new processes for regenerating oxidized interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts prior to the use of such catalysts in a hydroprocessing process. Interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts are easily oxidized in the environment and once oxidized, the hydroprocessing activity of the interstitial metal hydrides is most often severely diminished and this lost activity due to oxidization of the iMeH is not susceptible to recovery under hydroprocessing conditions. As a result, these catalysts in the present art require considerable special handling in inert environments all through processes from fabrication, shipping, loading, use, and maintenance of the catalyst systems to protect the activity of the interstitial metal hydride components. The present invention embodies a process regenerating oxidized interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts prior to their use in a hydroprocessing environment, thereby eliminating the requirement for maintaining the interstitial metal hydride containing catalysts in an inert environment, and allowing the handling of such catalysts in an oxidized condition prior to use.

Interstitial metal hydride catalyst activity regeneration process

Transesterification, esterification, and esterification-transesterification (both one-step and two-step) for producing biofuels. The process may be enhanced by one or more of the following: 1) applying microwave or RF energy; 2) passing reactants over a heterogeneous catalyst at sufficiently high velocity to achieve high shear conditions; 3) emulsifying reactants with a homogeneous catalyst; or 4) maintaining the reaction at a pressure at or above autogeneous pressure. Enhanced processes using one or more of these steps can result in higher process rates, higher conversion levels, or both.

Methods for producing biodiesel

A catalyst for the hydroprocessing of organic compounds, composed of an interstitial metal hydride having a reaction surface at which monatomic hydrogen is available. The activity of the catalyst is maximized by avoiding surface oxide formation. Transition metals and lanthanide metals compose the compound from which the interstitial metal hydride is formed. The catalyst's capabilities can be further enhanced using radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy.

Catalyst for the treatment of organic compounds

A process for the catalytic reaction of organic compounds, in which the organic compounds are contacted with a catalyst comprising an interstitial metal hydride, having a reaction surface, to produce a catalyst-organic compound mixture, energy is applied, monatomic hydrogen is produced at the reaction surface of the interstitial metal hydride, and the organic compounds are reacted with the monatomic hydrogen. Reactions accomplished by this process include petroleum hydrocracking and hydrotreating processes. The method's performance can be further enhanced using radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy.

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Wexford, PA, United States of America

Faiz Pourarian