EasyActive™

EasyActive™ Hydroprocessing catalysts are traditionally supplied in their oxidic form. To activate the catalysts, these metal oxides have to be converted carefully into metal sulfides. In the past, this presulfiding could only be done in the hydroprocessing reactor. Today, Albemarle catalysts can be supplied in their sulfided form which allows for easy and quick start-up procedures.

In-situ presulfiding methods have been developed using spiking agents like dimethylsulfide (DMS), dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) and tertiarybutyl polysulfide (TBPS). Spiked feed sulfiding is a common practice in refineries today. This procedure renders the hydroprocessing catalysts a high level of activity. However, the disadvantages of spiked feed sulfiding include:

- environmental precautions to be taken

- handling of toxic and flammable materials

- additional injection equipment needed

- time consuming procedure

Recognizing the above concerns, Eurecat and Albemarle have developed the EasyActive™ ex-situ presulfiding process. The objective was to obtain a high activity, homogeneously sulfided catalyst which can be activated quickly and easily. Sulfur is chemically fixed to the catalyst. To ensure high activity, the amount of sulfur is adjusted to the metal loading. There is no characteristic odor of sulfur products. In particular, no release of hydrogen sulfide can occur in contact with air or water.

Although off-site presulfided catalyst is, in itself, not pyrophoric, it can react with oxygen at high temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to take some extra safety precautions when loading the catalyst. EasyActive™ catalysts are supplied in steel drums with plastic liners or in sealed flowbins. The catalyst should remain stored this way until ready to load into the reactor. At the time of actual loading, the catalyst may be transferred into a hopper and then loaded directly into the reactor by normal sock- or dense loading procedures under air or inert conditions.

EasyActive™ catalysts must undergo an activation with hydrogen. This is preferably done in the presence of liquid feedstock. The active state of the catalyst will be achieved during normal heating procedures, which usually take four to eight hours. During this activation, active metal sulfides are formed.

EasyActive™ catalysts have been extensively tested in our pilot plants as well as in the test laboratories of major oil companies. The observed activity is equal to that obtained with the best DMDS spiked light gasoil procedures. This comparable activity has been confirmed in commercial operations with the whole range of our hydroprocessing catalysts.

There are a number of advantages to using off-site presulfided catalysts. The relative importance of these advantages may vary from one refiner to another.

- Easy handling of the presulfided material

- Significantly reduced risk of environmental violations during start-up

- No handling of odorous materials

- No injection equipment

- Less manpower and attention needed during start-up

- Shorter start-up period