Hydrocracking of heavy oil using iron-active carbon catalyst - Importance of mesopore structure of active carbon

Hydrocracking of vacuum residue using a combination catalyst system of active carbon with iron, either in the form of iron impregnated or the mixture with pyrite, was studied under a relatively low hydrogen pressure of 10 MPa. This catalytic hydrocracking system successfully restricted the formation of asphaltene and suppressed coke formation at higher conversions. Hydrodemetallization (HDM) and hydrodesulfurization (HDS) were also effectively achieved. Active carbon materials with various mesopore structure were evaluated as the catalyst component. Mesopore-richer active carbon adsorbed asphaltene more selectively and suppressed coke formation more effectively. The effectiveness of the catalyst system was analyzed by a kinetic study of the hydrocracking reactions based on a lumping model.