A Refined Hydroprocessing Multicatalyst Deactivation and Reactor Performance ModelPilot-Plant Accelerated Test Applications

A hydroprocessing multicatalyst deactivation and reactor performance model was originally developed to predict the life and performance of atmospheric residue hydroprocessing catalysts in a pilot-plant long-life test. The model has been subsequently applied to predict catalyst and reactor behavior in an accelerated life test using Boscan crude oil as the feedstock. Simulations from the original model did not compare well with accelerated test run data. Because Boscan crude oil has very high metal and asphaltene contents, mass balance terms that emphasized noncatalytic hydrothermal reactions in the model were needed, especially when catalysts were severely deactivated. Excellent comparisons were obtained after including hydrothermal reaction terms to refine the model. The model was then used to simulate the Boscan crude oil hydroprocessing in constant-sulfur-mode operations, and it was found that it would be more beneficial to operate the atmospheric residue desulfurization unit at a lower initial temperature.