Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Yao-Jyh Robert Huang

Shun Chong Fung

Kenneth Ray Clem

Gary Brice McVicker

John Francis Walsh

Jar-Lin Kao

The invention is directed a process for regenerating deactivated reforming catalysts comprising at least one Group VIII metal on zeolite L, preferably wherein the catalysts are extruded using a binder material such as alumina or silica. The process includes: a) coke burn at severe conditions to improve the accessibility of the Group VIII catalytic metal particles by transporting them to the outside of the zeolite microchannels; b) catalytic metal redispersion by wet oxychlorination with elemental chlorine and oxygen; c) stripping with a gas stream comprising oxygen and water at low pressure to remove as much residual chlorine as possible; and d) reduction of catalytic metals with hydrogen at low pressure. The process is particularly effective for recovering activity of catalysts which have been severely deactivated.

Regeneration of severely deactivated reforming catalysts

The present invention is a process for regenerating deactivated catalyst or redispersing catalytic metal in a fresh catalyst comprising at least one Group VIII catalytic metal, zeolite, an inert binder. The process comprises coke burn, hydrogen reduction, catalyst conditioning, oxychlorination, low pressure stripping, and low pressure final hydrogen reduction.

Method of regenerating deactivated catalyst

A low-pressure, high-temperature, wet post-treatment after oxyhalogenation during regeneration to improve activity and selectivity recovery of a regenerated catalyst involves exposing a halogenated catalyst to a gaseous stream including water having a partial pressure of up to about 1.5 psia, oxygen having a partial pressure of less than about 4.5 psia, and an inert gas at a temperature within the range of about 450.degree. C. to about 530.degree. C. at a pressure within the range of about 14.7 psia to about 65 psia for a time sufficient to effect a hydrogen halide partial pressure in offgas from the halogenated catalyst of less than about 0.004 psia to effectively remove excess halide from the halogenated catalyst.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Yao-Jyh Robert Huang