Catalyst Assessment for Upgrading Short-Contact-Time SRC to Low Sulfur Boiler Fuels

Abstract

Solvent refined coal (SRC) can be upgraded via catalytic hydroprocessing into low sulfur fuels (1,2). Reduced process cost can be affected by several factors, including the following: higher catalyst activity, improved utilization of hydrogen, and optimized SRC concentration in the feedstock. To this end, a series of commercial and proprietary catalysts was evaluated for the hydroprocessing of 50 wt % W. Kentucky short contact time SRC (SCT SRC). The commercial catalysts tested were alumina-based and were known to have good hydrotreating activity for heavy petroleum or coal-derived liquids. The rates of hydrogenation and pore size distribution will be discussed. A developmental catalyst with relatively high desulfurization and efficient hydrogen utilization was tested in a constant temperature aging run to establish process conditions needed to produce 0.4 wt % sulfur boiler fuels. Experimental The experiments were conducted in a continuous down-flow fixed bed pilot unit. The feedstock, 50 wt % W.