Hydroprocessing of Petroleum - Spent Hydroprocessing Catalysts - page 49

Table 3.6: Yields and properties of products from different reactors [From ref. 120 . Reprinted
with permission].

Fixed/moving Ebullated Slurry

Naphtha
Yield/feed (wt.%)

1-5 5-15 10-15

Density (kg/L) 0.71-0.74 0.71-0.72 0.72

Sulfur (wt.%) < 0.01 0.01-0.2 0.06

Nitrogen (ppm) < 20 50-100 200

Gas oil
Yield/feed (wt.%)

10-25 20-30 40-45

Density (kg/L) 0.850-0.875 0.840-0.860 0.866

Sulfur (wt.%) < 0.1 0.1-0.5 0.7

Nitrogen (ppm) 300-1200 > 500

∼

1800

Vacuum gas oil
Yield/feed (wt.%)

20-35 25-35 20-25

Density (kg/L) 0.925-0.935 0.925-0.970 1.010

Sulfur (wt.%) 0.25-0.50 0.5-2.0 2.2

Nitrogen (ppm) 1500-2500 1600-4000 4300

Vacuum residue
Yield/feed (wt.%)

30-60 15-35 10-20

Density (kg/L) 0.990-1.030 1.035-1.100 1.160

Sulfur (wt.%) 0.7-1.5 1-3 2.7

Nitrogen (ppm) 3000-4000 > 3300 11000

Asphaltenes (heptane) 5-10 > 20 26

50 tons per day of the catalytically active solid. Therefore, the integration with an industrial
process (e.g., aluminium production) generating low-cost solids would enhance the viability of
slurry bed reactors

The safety aspects of hydroprocessing operations deserve attention. Decades of the experience
using heavy feeds varying widely in properties shows that it is quite easy and safe to operate
fixed bed reactors. The additional high-pressure equipment upstream and downstream of the
moving bed and ebullated bed reactors adds to the complexity of the operation. More severe
conditions, i.e., higher temperatures and pressures, than in fixed bed reactors indicate that
ebullated bed reactors may require special materials for the construction of equipment,
similarly as it is for slurry bed reactors. However, the simple features, i.e., no need for
internals, suggest that the design of the slurry bed reactor may be less challenging compared
with that of the moving and ebullated bed reactors, although the selection of material for the
construction of the former may be more demanding.