Upgrading of a model feedstock and a Victorian brown coal derived liquid

Abstract

Four Ni Mo catalysts, which were prepared using supports with different surface areas and a reference catalyst Shell 424, were used for a fundamental study of the upgrading process using a model feedstock (MFS) and a Victorian brown coal derived liquid (CDL). The experiments were conducted under conditions where coke formation was minimized and initial catalytic activity measured. For the MFS, the conversion of O-, S- and N-containing compounds increased with the surface area of the catalysts, a parameter indicative of metal dispersion for the present system. Distributions of various compound classes for the CDL feed and its upgraded products were also correlated with catalyst characteristics. Peak intensities of the OH group from i.r. spectra and aromatic and aliphatic hydrogen and carbon contents derived from 1H and 13C-n.m.r. indicated clearly that deoxygenation and hydrogenation reactions were predominant during initial upgrading over the catalysts with the higher surface areas. It is concluded that catalysts which facilitate higher metal dispersion exhibit increased initial upgrading activity provided a coal derived oil is used which can penetrate the pores.