Kinetics of Conradson Carbon Residue Conversion in the Catalytic Hydroprocessing of a Maya Residue

Abstract

A residue from a Maya crude was hydroprocessed in a continuous hydroprocessing unit provided with a continuous stirred-tank reactor. The kinetic study of Conradson carbon residue (CCR) conversion was carried out, and the data of CCR conversion fit half-order kinetics, with the activation energy being 277.58 kJ/mol. No dependence of the rate constants on hydrogen pressure was observed. The relationship between CCR and different parameters was studied, and it was found that asphaltenes, hydrogen content, H/C atomic ratio, and residue content (350 °C) were linearly related with CCR content. Gas yield was also found to be linearly related with CCR conversion. A structural analysis was carried out by 13C NMR and 1H NMR, and a linear relationship was found between CCR and aromatic carbon contents for the products obtained at 415 °C, when the products obtained at the same temperature are compared. However, a general relationship for all temperatures was not found.