Catalytic hydrotreatment in reverse microemulsions under microwave irradiation

This report describes a hydrocatalytic process developed in a reverse microemulsion using microwave irradiation. The catalysts used, CoMo/Al ₂O₃ and NiMo/Al₂O₃, were synthesized in the laboratory. The effectiveness of the procedure was tested with model compounds such as nickel (II) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate tetrasodium salt (NiPcTSNa₄), nickel tetraphenylporphyrin (NiTPP) and thiophene. The first two model compounds were demetallized to a percentage around 85% and 60% respectively, while desulfurization of the latter was greater than 90%. These values are higher than most of the values reported in the literature for this type of process. We also applied this catalytic hydrotreating to a real sample, Venezuelan heavy oil (Hamaca), achieving high conversion in a relatively short time. In this case, the hydrodesulfurization was above 59%, while the hydrodemetallization of organic compounds containing nickel and vanadium was greater than 35% and 47%, respectively. The results demonstrate the advantage of using this type of hydrotreating in less extreme conditions and in a shorter time than that used in other hydrocatalytic procedures.