Hydrocracking process using ultra-large pore size catalysts

Abstract

A hydrocracking catalyst with improved distillate selectivity comprises, in addition to a metal component, a mesoporous crystalline material together with a molecular sieve component of relatively smaller pore size. The metal component of the catalyst is preferably associated with the high-surface area mesoporous component and high-metal loadings can be achieved in order to give good hydrogenation activity to the catalyst. The relatively smaller pore size component is preferably a large pore size zeolite such as zeolite Y or an intermediate pore size zeolite such as ZSM-5; this component provides a higher level of acidic functionality than the mesoporous component, achieving a functional separation in the hydrocracking process, permitting the metals loading and acidic activities to be optimized for good catalyst selectivity and activity. The catalysts enable the distillate selectivities comparable to amorphous catalyst to be achieved with improved conversion activity.