Comparison of γ and δ-Al2O3 supported CoMo catalysts in the ydrodesulfurization of straight-run gas oil

Document Type : Research Note

Authors

Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box 14965/115, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The effect of two different crystal species of alumina on hydrodesulfurization activity of the corresponding CoMo catalysts was studied. Cylindrical extruded alumina with two different crystal structures i.e. γ-Al2O3 and δ-Al2O3 was prepared using boehmite and nitric acid as a peptizing agent by calcination at 550 ˚C and 900 ˚C, respectively. The Al2O3 support were impregnated with 9 wt.% of Mo and 2 wt.% Co via incipient wetness impregnation method. The CoMo/Al2O3 catalysts were used for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodenitrification (HDN) of Iranian straight-run gas oil (ISRGO). The supports and catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, XRD, UV-vis-DRS, TPD, TPR and ICP-OES. The HDS activity of CoMo/γ-Al2O3 catalyst was higher than that of CoMo/δ-Al2O3 and was found to be 95.74%. This result was due to the formation of larger CoMoO4 and MoO3 crystals in CoMo/δ-Al2O3 catalyst which reduces the active metal phase dispersion and the performance of the catalyst. The HDS activity of CoMo/γ-Al2O3 catalyst was remarkable as the metal content of the catalyst was low. The HDN activity of CoMo/γ-Al2O3 was also about 66%.

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