PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AND RECOVERING BASE METALS FROM USED HYDROPROCESSING CATALYST
First Claim
1. A method of recovering metals from a used catalyst comprising the steps of:
- (a) leaching a Group VB metal, a Group VIB metal and a Group VIII metal from the used catalyst with an ammonia containing leach solution at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to form a pressure leach slurry comprising at least a Group VIB soluble metal complex and at least a Group VIII soluble metal complex and a first solid residue;
(b) separating and removing the first solid residue from the pressure leach slurry to form a first pressure leach solution comprising the Group VIB soluble metal complex and the Group VIII soluble metal complex;
(c) precipitating from the first pressure leach solution a second solid residue comprising at least a portion of the Group VIB soluble metal complex to form a first slurry comprising the second solid residue and at least a portion of the Group VIII soluble metal complex;
(d) separating from the first slurry the second solid residue and a primary filtrate substantially free of Group VB, Group VIB and the Group VIII metals;
(e) dissolving the second solid residue to form a group VIB metal precipitate and a group VIII metal containing solution;
(f) separating the group VIB metal precipitate from the Group VIII metal containing solution of step (e);
(g) dissolving said Group VIB metal precipitate in a dilute base at a sufficient temperature to form a Group VIB metal product.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for separating and recovering base metals from a used hydroprocessing catalyst originating from Group VIB and Group VIII metals and containing at least a Group VB metal. In one embodiment, the used catalyst is contacted with an ammonia leaching solution to dissolve and separate the Group VIB and VIII metals from the Group VB metal complex and coke associated with the used catalyst. The resulting Group VIB and VIII metal containing solution is processed through at least two additional precipitation and liquid/solid separation steps to produce, in separate processing streams, a Group VIB metal product solution (such as ammonium molybdate) and a Group VIII metal product solution (such as nickel sulfate). Additionally, two separate filtrate streams are generated from liquid-solid separation steps, which filtrate streams are combined and subjected to hydrolysis and oxidation (oxydrolysis) to generate a purified ammonium sulfate solution for further processing, such as for fertilizer.
62 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of recovering metals from a used catalyst comprising the steps of:
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(a) leaching a Group VB metal, a Group VIB metal and a Group VIII metal from the used catalyst with an ammonia containing leach solution at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to form a pressure leach slurry comprising at least a Group VIB soluble metal complex and at least a Group VIII soluble metal complex and a first solid residue; (b) separating and removing the first solid residue from the pressure leach slurry to form a first pressure leach solution comprising the Group VIB soluble metal complex and the Group VIII soluble metal complex; (c) precipitating from the first pressure leach solution a second solid residue comprising at least a portion of the Group VIB soluble metal complex to form a first slurry comprising the second solid residue and at least a portion of the Group VIII soluble metal complex; (d) separating from the first slurry the second solid residue and a primary filtrate substantially free of Group VB, Group VIB and the Group VIII metals; (e) dissolving the second solid residue to form a group VIB metal precipitate and a group VIII metal containing solution; (f) separating the group VIB metal precipitate from the Group VIII metal containing solution of step (e); (g) dissolving said Group VIB metal precipitate in a dilute base at a sufficient temperature to form a Group VIB metal product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 34)
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29. A method of recovering metals from a used catalyst originating from a hydroprocessing catalyst having a general formula (X)a(M)b[(CH3CH2)cN(CH3)3]dOz and containing at least a group VB metal, wherein X is a Group VIII non-noble metal, M is a group VIB metal selected from Mo and W and combinations thereof, c is an integer from 10 to 40, the molar ratio of a:
- b is from 0.5/1 to 3/1, the method comprising the steps of;
(a) leaching a Group VB metal, a Group VIB metal and a Group VIII metal from the used catalyst with an ammonia containing leach solution at a first selected pH and at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to form a pressure leach slurry comprising at least a Group VIB soluble metal complex and at least a Group VIII soluble metal complex and a first solid residue; (b) separating and removing the first solid residue from the pressure leach slurry to form a first pressure leach solution comprising the Group VIB soluble metal complex and the Group VIII soluble metal complex; (c) precipitating from the first pressure leach solution a second solid residue comprising at least a portion of the Group VIB soluble metal complex to form a first slurry comprising at least a portion of the Group VIII soluble metal complex; (d) separating from the first slurry the second solid residue and a primary filtrate substantially free of Group VB, Group VIB and the Group VIII metals; (e) dissolving the second solid residue to form a group VIB metal precipitate and a group VIII metal containing solution; (f) separating the group VIB metal precipitate from the Group VIII metal containing solution of step (e) and (g) dissolving said Group VIB metal precipitate in a dilute base at a sufficient temperature to form a Group VIB metal product. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
- b is from 0.5/1 to 3/1, the method comprising the steps of;
Specification