Self-catalysed hydrogenation of heavy oil and coal mixtures

Abstract

Coal liquefaction and heavy oil processing have become the urgent need for national energy strategic technology reserves in China. However, the inactivation of solid catalysts in these processes is an inevitable problem. Therefore, a self-catalysed method was proposed. The properties of raw oil could be changed by adding a modifier, as it has the function of self-catalysis, and the additional catalyst is no longer needed. The effect of 200 ppm modifier on the hydrogenation of heavy oil and 500 ppm on the hydrogenation of coal and oil were investigated. The results showed that modifiers could be miscible with heavy oil at 50~100 °C and could change the properties of oil. When the temperature exceeded 250 °C, the sulfur element in the heavy oil combined with the metal element brought in by the modifier to form a particle with the size of 2–8 nm, which could interact with the hydrogen molecule to activate the hydrogen molecule. Activated hydrogen atoms further formed the complexes with nickel, vanadium, calcium, iron, and other elements in heavy oil to achieve the purpose of purifying and lightening the oil phase. Therefore, the self-catalysed method could be widely used in oil refining and would greatly promote the development of the oil refining and catalysis industry.