On the mechanism of sulfur removal during catalytic cracking

A low sulfur vacuum gas oil (VGO) has been spiked with sulfur containing co mpounds belonging to the gasoline and light diesel range, and the feedstock s obtained in this way have been cracked over an equilibrated catalyst in a n automated MAT unit. The evolution of these sulfur compounds under catalyt ic cracking conditions has been studied using a specific sulfur detector. T he reactivity of the sulfur compounds as well as their interaction with ole fins and naphthenic compounds has been elucidated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.