SYNERGIES BETWEEN ZEOLITES ON A MODEL HYDROCRACKING REACTION, FROM IDEALITY TO REALITY

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Quantification of metal-acid balance in hydroisomerization catalysts: a step further toward catalyst design

Publication . Mendes, Pedro S. F.; Silva, João; Ribeiro, M. Filipa; Duchene, Pascal; Daudin, Antoine; Bouchy, Christophe

A methodology was developed to interpret the results of n-.paraffins hydroisomerization over bifunctional catalysts based on two simple kinetic models used consecutively. First, a macrokinetic model was used to obtain the corresponding turnover frequency over the acid sites and the maximum of C-16 isomer yield. Second, a dual-function model was used to correlate these catalytic descriptors to the ratio of metal to acid sites of the catalyst. To illustrate the methodology, Pt/HBEA and Pt/HUSY catalysts with different Pt loadings were evaluated. The impact of metal-acid balance on the catalytic turnover frequency and the maximal C-16 isomer yield were adequately captured for the bifunctional HUSY and HBEA catalysts. Moreover, the parameters of the dual-function model revealed to be intrinsic to the catalytic properties of the zeolite under the scope. This methodology is believed to be of interest for information-driven catalyst design for the hydroisomerization of n-paraffins.

2017-07Journal article

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Nanoscale insights into Pt-impregnated mixtures of zeolites

Publication . Mendes, Pedro S. F.; Taleb, Anne-Lise; Gay, Anne-sophie; Daudin, Antoine; Bouchy, Christophe; Silva, João; Ribeiro, M. Filipa

A series of catalysts prepared by Pt deposition over intimate mixtures of HUSY and HBEA zeolites was investigated for the first time and compared to individual Pt/zeolite solids. The samples were characterized through macroscopic techniques and at the nanoscale by electron microscopy and electron tomography, in order to evaluate both the acid and the hydrogenation functions. Comparable macroscopic properties were observed between Pt-impregnated individuals and zeolite mixtures. In contrast, at the nanoscale, differences were evident. When mixtures of zeolites were impregnated, Pt was not homogeneously distributed over the sample. In fact, Pt was located mainly on the HBEA zeolite rather than on HUSY, as confirmed by TEM-EDS semi-quantification. This selectivity in Pt location was tentatively explained by the higher amount of terminal silanol and EFAL species in the HBEA sample. The preferential Pt location at the nanoscale may open up new possibilities in the design and application of hybrid catalysts.

2017-08Journal article

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From powder to extrudate zeolite-based bifunctional hydroisomerization catalysts: on preserving zeolite integrity and optimizing Pt location

Publication . Mendes, Pedro; Silva, João; Ribeiro, M Filipa; Daudin, Antoine; Bouchy, Christophe

The development of zeolite-based hydroisomerization catalysts in the powder form is widely spread in scientific literature but shaped bodies are the ones being employed in industry. This work aims at bridging that gap. The shaping procedure for HUSY zeolite in presence of an alumina binder disclosed herein achieved a full conservation of zeolite properties, e.g. porosity and Brønsted acidity. When Pt was located inside the zeolite and an homogeneous Pt distribution along the extrudate was ensured, shaped Pt-containing catalysts had similar hydroisomerization performances to those of powder Pt/zeolite in terms of turnover frequency per Brønsted acid site and maximal feed isomers yield. Conversely, non-uniform distribution of Pt along the extrudates diameter (millimetric scale) was observed to reduce the feed isomers yield. This was tentatively explained by the lower local metal to acid sites ratio in the core of the extrudates. Optimal performance of shaped bifunctional catalysts requires, hence, an adequate metal to acid sites ratio throughout the whole catalyst (i.e. at millimetric and nanometric scale), even if full intimacy between catalytic functions is ensured at the nanoscale by the selective deposition of Pt inside the zeolite.

2018-06-25Journal article

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Investigation of cooperative effects between Pt/zeolite hydroisomerization catalysts through kinetic simulations

Publication . Mendes, Pedro; Silva, João; Ribeiro, M Filipa; Daudin, Antoine; Bouchy, Christophe

A kinetic dual-function model was employed to simulate the performance of binary mixtures of Pt/zeolite catalysts (so-called hybrid catalysts) in the hydroconversion of n-paraffins. The catalytic activity and the maximal yield in feed isomers were simulated for mixtures of catalysts with distinct characteristics to investigate the conditions in which cooperative effects based on metal-acid balance may arise. Superior performances of the hybrids compared to both individual catalysts could be achieved in most of the simulated systems, particularly when mixing Pt-catalysts containing zeolites with dissimilar characteristics. A careful choice of the proportion and metal-acid balance of individual catalysts is, nevertheless, necessary. Moreover, the cooperation in the hybrid catalysts was rationalized based on the performance of the individual catalysts being mixed. The more alike the individual catalysts, to a certain extent, the broader the range of metal to acid sites ratio over which hybrids perform better than both individuals. On the other hand, the relative gain in performance arising from the cooperative effect would decrease. This study unveils hence the influence of each one of the preparation parameters of hybrid catalysts on its behaviour shedding light into the complexity of such catalytic systems.

2018-08-15Journal article

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Quantification of the available acid sites in the hydrocracking of nitrogen-containing feedstocks over USY shaped NiMo-catalysts

Publication . Mendes, Pedro; Silva, João; Ribeiro, M Filipa; Bouchy, Christophe; Daudin, Antoine

The inhibition of Brensted acid sites by nitrogen -containing molecules was quantified under industrially relevant hydrocracking conditions. This was achieved by testing bifunctional catalysts based on HUSY zeolite in cyclohexane hydroconversion. For ammonia partial pressures within 0.2-2.8 kPa, the percentage of inhibited Brensted sites was superior to 98% at 623 K. Significant reduction in the ammonia content caused rather moderate variations on the number of available sites. Conversely, a temperature raise from 600 to 640K triplicated the vacant Brensted sites due to the significant endothermicity of ammonia desorption. The inhibiting effect of ammonia can be therefore easily modulated by temperature. (C) 2018 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.

2019-03-25Journal article

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