Process for sweetening petroleum cuts without regular addition of alkaline solution using a basic solid catalyst

• US 5,633,216 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Original Assignee: Institut Francais Du Petrole
• Inventors: Leporq, Serge, Courty, Philippe, Marcilly, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldarola, Glenn A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yildirim, Bekir L.
• Application Number:
  US08/474,767
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 208/189, 208/203, 208/206, 208/207, 502/64, 502/66, 502/74
• US Class Current: 502/66
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/16 Clays or other mineral silicates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 27/26 Cyanides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0009 Use of binding agents; Moulding; Pressing; Powdering; Granulating; Addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the product catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/10 in the presence of metal-containing organic complexes, e.g. chelates, or cationic ion-exchange resins

Abstract

A process for sweetening a petroleum cut containing mercaptans, wherein said petroleum cut is subjected to oxidation conditions by its being passed in the presence of air in contact with a porous catalyst said process being characterized in that said catalyst comprises 10 to 98% by weight of at least one mineral solid phase constituted of analkaline aluminosilicate with a Si/Al atomic ratio less than or equal to 5, 1 to 60% by weight of active carbon, 0.02 to 2% by weight of at least one metal chelate and 0 to 20% by weight of at least one organic or mineral binding agent, has a basicity determined according to the 2896 ASTM standard with 20 milli-equivalents of potash per gram and a total BET surface area of 10 m² g^-1, and contains inside its pore structure a permanent aqueous phase representing 0.1 to 40% by weight of dry catalyst.

Claims

1. A catalyst for use in a process for sweetening petroleum cuts containing mercaptans, said catalyst comprising 10 to 98% by weight of at least one solid mineral phase constituted of an alkaline zeolite or tectosilicate with an Si/Al atomic ratio which is less than or equal to 5, 1 to 60% by weight active carbon, 0.02 to 2% by weight of at least one metal chelate and 0 to 20% by weight of at least one mineral or organic binding agent, has a basicity determined according to the ASTM 2896 standard which is at least 70 mg of potash per gram, a total BET surface area which is greater than 10 m² g^-1 , and inside its pore structure a hydration rate of 0.1 to 40% by weight of dry catalyst.

2. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the Si/Al ratio of the alkaline a zeolite or tectosilicate is less than or equal to 3.

3. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline zeolite or tectosilicate is a sodium or a potassium zeolite or tectosilicate.

4. A catalyst according to claim 3, wherein the sodium zeolite or tectosilicate is a sodalite compound of the approximate formula Na₂ O, Al₂ O₃, a SiO₂, with a value of 1.8 to 2.4.

5. A catalyst according to claim 3, wherein the sodium or potassium zeolite or tectosilicate is obtained by reacting in aqueous medium at least one clay with at least one of sodium hydroxide land/lot potassium hydroxide, followed by a heat treatment at a temperature of between 90°

and 600°

C.

6. A catalyst according to claim 5, wherein the clay is activated thermally, and then crushed before it is placed in contact with the sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide in aqueous media.

7. A catalyst according to claim 3, wherein the alkaline zeolite or tectosilicate is at least partially a zeolite, the major part of which, at least, contains sodium.

8. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the alkaline zeolite or tectosilicate represents 50 to 95% by weight of sweetening catalyst, calculated in relation to the weight of dry catalyst.

9. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the metal chelate contained in the catalyst is a cobalt phthalocyanine.

10. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the hydration rate is between 1 and 25% by weight relative to the dry catalyst.

11. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the basicity of the catalyst is greater than 80 mg of potash per gram.

12. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the basicity of the catalyst is greater than 100 mg of potash per gram.

13. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the hydration rate is 10 to 40% by weight.

14. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the hydration rate is 20 to 40% by weight.

15. A catalyst according to claim 1, wherein the hydration rate is 25 to 40% by weight.