Influence of Feedstock Composition on the Pressure Drop Buildup in Gas Oil Hydrotreater

Abstract

In this work two samples of solid particulates obtained from the intergranular space of the guard beds catalyst of industrial gas oil hydrotreating reactors were investigated. The hydrotreating reactors were operated on feedstock of different composition. One of the samples of solid particulates was obtained during hydrotreating of feedstock containing a large amount of sodium and calcium. The compositions of the samples of solid particulates were determined. Quantitative elemental and structural analyses were carried out. As a result, the formed solid particulates contained a large amount of sodium chloride, sulfate and calcium sulfide. The qualitative calculations show that the pressure drop in the guard bed of five-segment rings with a diameter of 16.0 mm, due to the deposition of solid particulates in the intergranular space, increases by 108% more than the pressure drop during hydrotreating of feedstock not containing calcium and sodium compounds (under the same operating modes of the hydrotreating reactors and operating time). The obtained results on the effect of the feedstock composition on the pressure drop buildup can be used in optimizing the loading of reactors and in other oil refining processes.