Meso/Macroporous CoMo Alumina Pellets for Hydrotreating of Heavy Oil

CoMo catalysts supported on meso/macroporous alumina have been designed for hydrotreating of heavy oil. Pellets were prepared from pseudoboehmite and polystyrene colloidal crystals with subsequent CoMo compounds supporting on alumina. Supports, fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by crushing tests, X-ray diffraction, scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopies, N2 sorption and pycnometric techniques, mercury porosimetry, and different methods of elemental analyses. The hydrotreating experiments were carried out at 380–420 °C and 70 bar in the presence of CoMo catalysts supported on meso/macroporous or reference mesoporous alumina. Viscosity, desulfurization extent, microcarbon residue, and asphaltenes content were determined for the reaction products. CoMo compounds supported on meso/macroporous Al2O3 had transformed to the layered sulfides under the influence of reaction medium, while no significant changes of supported compounds were observed for the reference mesoporous cat...