Effect of vanadium over NiMo/sepiolite hydrotreating catalyst

Summary Hydrotreating (HDT) and hydrodesulfuration (HDS) using an FCC feed were carried out at 673-748 K and 50 MPa total pressure. The effect of vanadium impregnated on a NiMo catalyst supported on sepiolite for HDT and HDS reactions was studied. A commercial NiMo/Al₂O₃ catalyst was used as reference. The hydrotreating conversions (wt.% HDT) is defined here as the net hydrotreating conversion into products boiling below 653 K. The results were compared with an accelerated ageing test using the catalysts on a FCC feed, with vanadium in the form of naphthenate (2000 ppm of V) added to rapidly deactivate catalysts via metal deposition. The results indicate that vanadium affects more the catalyst supported on sepiolite that the commercial catalyst. Also, at our reaction conditions, the effect of vanadium on sepiolite catalyst is similar, to those used with vanadium impregnated on the catalyst or on the catalyst where the vanadium in naphthenate form was added to FCC feed.