Japan Energy Corporation

Japan Energy Corportion

Hiroki Koyama

Toru Saito

Hideaki Kumagai

Kenji Nakamura

Takayuki Tsukada

Chikanori Nakaoka

Katsuaki Ishida

Manabu Kobayashi

Yoshiki Iwata

Masayuki Mori

Naoharu Igarashi

Yuichi Takahashi

Futoshi Sakaguchi

Seiji Togawa

Yasuyuki Mashimo

Masayuki Kawaguchi

A heavy oil is hydrorefined using a hydrorefining catalyst. A spent hydrorefining catalyst whose activity has decreased is heat treated (S) and pulverized to obtained a regenerated powder (S). This regenerated powder is fractionated according to its metal content (S), formed (S), dried (S), and calcined (S) to manufacture a regenerated catalyst whose volume of pores with a diameter of 50 to 2000 nm is at least 0.2 ml/g, and whose volume of pores with a diameter over 2000 nm is no more than 0.1 mL/g. Using this regenerated catalyst, a heavy oil containing at least 45 wt ppm vanadium and nickel as combined metal elements is hydrodemetalized, and the vanadium and nickel are recovered from the used regenerated catalyst (SS). Through hydrorefining, the metal components are recovered more efficiently, and the spent catalyst can be reused to manufacture a regenerated catalyst that exhibits high reaction, activity.

Method for manufacturing hydrorefining catalyst, and metal recovery method

A unit for hydrorefining of hydrocarbon crude oil comprising sulfur-containing compounds comprises first catalyst layerand second catalyst layer, top spacefor separating vapor component and liquid component, bottom space, and valve traythat divides top spaceand bottom space. Hydrogen released from hydrogen nozzleplaced in the bottom space is passed through liquid component that has accumulated in the valve tray and stripping of liquid components is performed. Hydrogen released from hydrogen nozzleis again introduced, to second catalyst layeras a cocurrent with the stripped liquid component. By stripping, it is possible to reduce the sulfur content, the nitrogen content and reduce the aromatic content of the hydrocarbon crude oil when compared to the conventional method. Since the hydrorefining unit has a simple structure, the unit can be easily made by modifying existing units.

Method and apparatus for stripping sulfur-containing compounds from hydrocarbon feed stock in hydrorefining of petroleum distillates

A heavy oil hydrorefining catalyst of the present invention is such that the total volume of pores with a diameter of 60 nm or less is at least 0.5 mL/g, and the pore diameter distribution has a broad band over a pore diameter range of 8 to 30 nm. The hydrorefining catalyst has excellent desulfurization characteristics and excellent demetalization characteristics, and its performance can be maintained over an extended period. When this catalyst is used in a hydrorefining apparatus equipped with a plurality of catalyst layers, the apparatus can be operated stably at a higher temperature than in the past without decreasing the desulfurization performance, and this also enhances the demetalization characteristics.

Hydrofining catalyst and hydrofining process

A hydrorefining catalyst of a hydrogenation active metal component supported on a refractory porous carrier has a median pore diameter determined by the nitrogen adsorption method of 8 to 20 nm, a pore volume determined by the nitrogen adsorption method of 0.56 cm /g or greater, and a pore volume of pores with a pore diameter of 50 nm or larger determined by the mercury intrusion porosimetry method of 0.32 cm /g or greater. Both the demetallizing activity and metal deposition capacity of the catalyst in hydrogenation and demetallizing of heavy oil are high. The hydrorefining catalyst is obtained by kneading a porous starting powder principally composed of &ggr;-alumina and having a pore capacity of 0.75 m /g or larger and a mean pore diameter of 10 to 200 &mgr;m, molding and calcining, and supporting an active metal component on the product.

Catalyst for hydrofining and method for preparation thereof

The two-stage hydrocracking process of the present invention comprises bringing the first-stage feed oil containing a hydrocarbon component and having a boiling point of 316&deg; C. or higher into contact with the first-stage catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to obtain a first-stage product; separating the first-stage product into heavy component and light component containing the middle distillate products; bringing the second-stage feed oil containing heavy component of the first-stage reaction product into contact with the second-stage catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to obtain the second-stage product; separating the second-stage product into heavy component and light component comprising middle distillate products and recycling part of the heavy component of the second-stage product to the second-stage feed oil. Hydrocracking activity of the first-stage catalyst is higher than hydrocracking activity of the second-stage catalyst.

Method of producing middle distillate products by two-stage hydrocracking and hydrocracking apparatus

A catalyst carrier composed of a refractory inorganic oxide has a rotationally symmetrical shape having a hollow portion, such as a doughnut shape. An outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface separating the hollow portion are linked by curved surfaces, and the height h of the carrier along the rotational symmetry axis is less than the outer diameter D,of the carrier. Using a catalyst having this carrier shape for a fixed bed makes it possible to prevent granular substances from causing catalyst plugging, and catalyst life can be extended because the catalyst-induced differential pressure increase is low even when granular substances accumulate on the catalyst. It is also possible to prevent the reaction fluid from undergoing channeling. Also provided is a hydrogenation reactor whose fixed bed is packed with the catalyst.

Catalyst support, catalyst, reactor for hydrogenation reaction, and catalytic reaction method

Growing community of inventors

Toda, Japan

Hiroki Koyama