The present invention provides a catalyst for producing a hydrocarbon from a syngas, including one of a cobalt metal and a combination of a cobalt metal and cobalt oxides; zirconium oxides; and a noble metal; supported by a catalyst support mainly composed of silica, wherein a content of impurities in the catalyst is less than or equal to 0.15 mass %; a producing method and regenerating method thereof; and a producing method of the hydrocarbon by using the catalyst.

The present invention is a method for removing sulfur from liquid hydrocarbon feedstocks and for performing hydrogenation reactions in sulfur-contaminated feedstocks, including the hydrogenation of naphthalene in the presence of sulfur compounds, using catalysts or adsorbents comprising metal oxide nanowires decorated with reduced catalytically-active metal particles. In a preferred embodiment, the adsorbent comprises zinc oxide nanowires decorated with catalytically-active metals selected from nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, copper, oxides thereof, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the sulfur is removed through a desulfurization process without an external hydrogen supply. The process is effective for the removal of sulfur from diesel fuels and liquid fuel streams, and for deep desulfurization of natural gas streams. The process is also effective for the selective hydrogenation of naphthalene to tetralin in the presence of sulfur compounds.

Processes for activating precious metal-containing catalysts. The processes can decrease the amount of high purity hydrogen required for starting up a catalytic conversion process such as transalkylation of heavy aromatics, without detrimental impact to the metal activity. The processes can include a low temperature treatment step with a high purity first gas, such as hydrogen generated by electrolysis and/or reformer hydrogen diluted with high purity inert gas, and a high temperature treatment step with a low purity second gas such as the reformer hydrogen. Also, the processes can include mixing a hydrogen gas of high or low purity with a high purity inert gas to form a gas mixture with a proportion of hydrogen no less than 2% and a reduced carbon monoxide concentration relative to the low purity hydrogen, and contacting the catalyst with the gas mixture.

Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Improved alkylation catalysts, alkylation methods, and methods of making alkylation catalysts are described. The alkylation method comprises reaction over a solid acid, zeolite-based catalyst and can be conducted for relatively long periods at steady state conditions. The alkylation catalyst comprises a crystalline zeolite structure, a Si/Al molar ratio of 20 or less, less than 0.5 weight percent alkali metals, and further having a characteristic catalyst life property. Some catalysts may contain rare earth elements in the range of 10 to 35 wt %. One method of making a catalyst includes a calcination step following exchange of the rare earth element(s) conducted at a temperature of at least 575° C. to stabilize the resulting structure followed by an deammoniation treatment. An improved method of deammoniation uses low temperature oxidation.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce a coked catalyst and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

A catalyst is regenerated by an inventive process using a heat exchange fluid such as superheated steam to remove heat during the process relying on efficient heat transfer (e.g., enabled by the microchannel reactor construction) in comparison with prior art heat exchange relying on a phase change, e.g. between water and (partial or complete vaporization) steam, allows simplification of the protocols to enable transition at higher temperatures between steps which translates in reduced duration of the regeneration process and avoids potential water hammering risks.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce coked catalyst particles and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles with a reducing gas to produce regenerated and reduced catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized regenerated and reduced catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.

Processes for upgrading a hydrocarbon. The process can include contacting a hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized catalyst particles that can include a Group 8-10 element or a compound thereof disposed on a support to effect one or more of dehydrogenation, dehydroaromatization, and dehydrocyclization of at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing feed to produce coked catalyst particles and an effluent. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the coked catalyst particles with an oxidant to effect combustion of at least a portion of the coke to produce regenerated catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting at least a portion of the regenerated catalyst particles with a reducing gas to produce regenerated and reduced catalyst particles. The process can also include contacting an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon-containing feed with fluidized regenerated and reduced catalyst particles to produce additional effluent and re-coked catalyst particles.