Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (Sep 2017)
Catalytic properties of tungsten carbide powders in cracking heavy petroleum feedstock
Abstract
The relevance of the research is related to the need to develop effective methods of processing heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks. Conventional light crude oil is only about 25 % of proven global oil reserves, and the rest are heavy and extra-heavy oil, bitumen. Furthermore, there is the problem of processing heavy residual oil fractions. In Russia only the Omsk oil refinery provides the depth of oil processing more than 90 %. The high content of heteroatomic compounds in heavy oil feedstock and its propensity for high coke formation lead to deactivation of catalysts used, which means that a catalyst that is stable to coking and poisoning is necessary for efficient processing of heavy oil feedstock and residual fractions. The main aim of the work is to study the catalytic activity of micron sized tungsten carbide powder in cracking goudron of Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery. The methods used in the study: scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry - thermogravimetry, gas chromatography, elemental analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis The results. The authors have studied the effect of time and temperature on thermal cracking of goudron of Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery and determined the optimal conditions for its experimental processing. The influence of tungsten carbide amount on composition of cracking products was studied. It was found that the micron-sized tungsten carbide powder possesses a catalytic activity in a heavy hydrocarbon cracking reaction and makes it possible to increase the yield of light fractions up to 70 % by weight. Reused tungsten carbide powder retains catalytic activity during three cycles of usage. The individual composition of the gasoline fractions of cracking products in the presence of tungsten carbide powders was studied.
