Hydrocracking of Athabasca VR Using NiO-WO3 Zeolite-Based Catalysts

Abstract

Hydrocracking of Athabasca vacuum residue (AVR) was carried out in an autoclave using particle and fiber forms of NiO-WO3 zeolite-supported catalyst. AVR hydrocracking was performed at 400 °C at low and high H2 pressure of 70 and 365 psi, together with the corresponding control thermal cracking runs. The yield of the different products and the quality of the upgraded liquid was used to assess the catalyst performance. Similarity among energy consumption for the different samples suggested major thermal cracking endothermic reactions. In general, the catalytic runs provided better quality maltene product, whereas better quality product oil was only attained at high pressure. The catalytic runs at low H2 pressure gave the highest yield of combined asphaltenes and toluene insolubles. This yield, on the other hand, was the lowest for the fiber form at high H2 pressure. Simulated distillation results captured the superior performance of the fiber catalyst at high H2 pressure and showed ∼50% conversion of the r...