The Effect of Ultrasonic Cavitation in the Presence of Catalysts on the Yield and Composition of Distillate Fractions from High-Viscosity Oil

The paper investigates the effect of ultrasonic cavitation, in combination with catalysts, on the fractional composition of high-viscosity oil. Ultrasonic treatment was carried out at a frequency of 22 kHz and a power of 50 W for 10 min in the presence of HY-zeolite, NiFe/Y-zeolite and NiFe/microsphere (1 wt%) catalysts. Results showed that ultrasonic treatment without a catalyst leads to a reduction in the yield of the target distillate fractions. The HY-zeolite demonstrates the greatest efficiency, increasing the yield of the light fraction with a boiling point of up to 200 °C by 7.9% compared with the initial oil. The NiFe/zeolite and NiFe/microsphere catalysts contributed to the formation of naphthenic and aromatic structures in the light and middle fractions of high-viscosity oil; however, the yields of light fractions with a boiling point of up to 200 °C and at 200–300°C decreased.