Slurry-phase Residue Hydrocracking with Dispersed Nickel Catalyst

Dispersed nickel catalysts were prepared by decomposition of an oil-soluble nickel compound precursor in residue. Effects of these catalysts on residue conversion and coke formation were investigated in an autoclave simulating slurry-phase residue hydrocracking. The results of this study demonstrate the following: as the catalyst’s concentration increased, the yield of coke and light oil (Nap + AGO) decreased; as the reaction pressure increase, the yield of coke decreased but the yield of light oil increased; and as the reaction temperature increased, coke formation and light oil increases. The dispersed catalysts used for the slurry phase hydrocracking were separated from the feedstock and were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the active catalytic species of dispersed catalyst was the mixture of hexagonal NiS (JCPDS 120041), millerite NiS (JCPDS 431469), and cubic Ni3S4 (JCPDS 431469); its particle size was about 1−5 μm.