THE USE OF COAL-LIQUEFACTION CATALYSTS FOR COAL OIL COPROCESSING AND HEAVY OIL UPGRADING/

The catalytic hydrogenation of heavy oil and mixed coal-heavy oil (cop rocessing) systems has been the focus of a recent study at the Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC). The intent of this effort was to ext end the use of coal liquefaction technologies to heavy oil upgrading a nd coprocessing systems. Specifically, new dispersed molybdenum-based catalysts developed at FETC and a novel silica-doped hydrous titanium oxide (HTO : Si)-supported NiMo catalyst developed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) were tested in these systems. The results indicate the potential of coal liquefaction catalysts for use in coprocessing a nd heavy oil upgrading. High conversions of coal-oil mixtures were obs erved with dispersed catalyst loadings as low as 100 ppm Mo. Similar r esults were observed in heavy oil systems. Also, the novel NiMo/HTO : Si catalyst was at least as effective as commercially-available suppor ted catalysts (e.g. Amocat 1C) for conversion of high boiling point ma terial to distillable products and aromatics removal. Published by Els evier Science B.V.