Characterization of aged catalyst from hydrotreating petroleum residue

A residue from Maya crude has been processed in a continuous hydroprocessing unitprovided with a trickle bed reactor (TBR) at 375°C, 10 MPa H 2 pressure, 1 LHSV 10.000 stdcu.ft/bbl and Topsoe TK-711 catalyst. Topsoe TK-711 catalyst life test has been performed for 7400 hours and samples of catalyst from 100, 1100, 2100, 3100, 4100, 6100 and 7400 hours on stream have been characterized by elemental analysis, S, Ni, V and Mo determination, surface area and pore volume. Aged catalyst from 100, 1100, 2100 and 3100 hours on stream were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using electron backscattering detector (BE) and microanalysis by dispersion of energies (EDS) and the distribution profiles of Ni, V, S, Mo and Fe along the diameter of the pellet have been determined. These samples have been also characterized by X-ray diffraction and the presence ofsulphide phases with stoichiometry (V, Ni, Fe) ∼3 S 4 have been found. The capacity for contaminants uptake of the Topsoe TK-711 catalyst has been of 110 g/100 g catalyst.