Method for the hydrogenation of aromatics using a nickel-based catalyst

Abstract

Hydrogenation of at least one aromatic or polyaromatic compound contained in a hydrocarbon feedstock having a final boiling point below or equal to 650° C., at a temperature of between 30 and 350° C., at a pressure of between 0.1 and 20 MPa, at a hydrogen/(aromatic compounds to be hydrogenated) molar ratio between 0.1 and 10 and at an hourly space velocity HSV of between 0.05 and 50 h −1 , in the presence of a catalyst comprising an alumina support and an active phase comprising nickel, prepared by i) contacting the support with a solution containing a nickel precursor; ii) bringing the support into contact with a solution containing an organic compound comprising a carboxylic acid, or alcohol, or ester, or amide function; iii) drying the impregnated support at a temperature below 250° C.; i) and ii) being carried out separately, in any order, or at the same time.

1 . A process for the hydrogenation of at least one aromatic or polyaromatic compound contained in a hydrocarbon feedstock having a final boiling point below or equal to 650° C., said process being carried out in the gas phase or in the liquid phase, at a temperature of between 30 and 350° C., at a pressure of between 0.1 and 20 MPa, at a hydrogen/(aromatic compounds to be hydrogenated) molar ratio between 0.1 and 10 and at an hourly space velocity HSV of between 0.05 and 50 h −1 , in the presence of a catalyst comprising an alumina support and an active phase comprising nickel, said active phase not comprising a metal from Group VIB, said catalyst being prepared by a process comprising at least:
 i) a step of bringing said support into contact with at least one solution containing at least one nickel precursor, 
 ii) a step of bringing said support into contact with at least one solution containing at least one organic compound comprising at least one carboxylic acid function, or at least one alcohol function, or at least one ester function, or at least one amide function; 
 iii) a step of drying said impregnated support at a temperature below 250° C.;
 steps i) and ii) being carried out separately, in any order, or at the same time. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that it further comprises a step iv) of calcining said dried catalyst obtained in step iii) at a temperature of between 250 and 1000° C. 
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that steps i) and ii) are carried out at the same time. 
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that step i) is carried out before step ii). 
     
     
         5 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that step ii) is carried out before step i). 
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that steps i) and/or ii) is (are) carried out by dry impregnation. 
     
     
         7 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the content of the element nickel is between 8 and 65% by weight relative to the total weight of the catalyst. 
     
     
         8 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said organic compound comprises at least one carboxylic acid function. 
     
     
         9 . The process as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that said organic compound is chosen from monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids or tetracarboxylic acids. 
     
     
         10 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said organic compound comprises at least one alcohol function. 
     
     
         11 . The process as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said organic compound is chosen from:
 organic compounds comprising a single alcohol function;   organic compounds comprising two alcohol functions;   organic compounds chosen from diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol or a polyethylene glycol corresponding to the formula H(OC 2 H 4 ) n OH with n greater than 4 and having an average molar mass of less than 20 000 g/mol;   monosaccharides of empirical formula C n (H 2 O) p  with n between 3 and 12;   disaccharides, trisaccharides, or monosaccharide derivatives.   
     
     
         12 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said organic compound comprises at least one ester function. 
     
     
         13 . The process as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said organic compound is chosen from:
 carboxylic acid linear or cyclic or unsaturated cyclic esters;   organic compounds comprising at least two carboxylic acid ester functions;   organic compounds comprising at least one carboxylic acid ester function and at least one second functional group chosen from alcohols, ethers, ketones or aldehydes;   carbonic acid cyclic or linear esters;   carbonic acid linear diesters.   
     
     
         14 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that said organic compound comprises at least one amide function. 
     
     
         15 . The process as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said organic compound is chosen from:
 acyclic amides comprising one or two amide functions;   cyclic amides or lactams;   organic compounds comprising at least one amide function and a carboxylic acid function or an alcohol function;   organic compounds comprising at least one amide function and an additional nitrogen heteroatom.   
     
     
         16 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that an aromatic hydrogenation of benzene is carried out at a temperature of between 30 and 250° C., at a pressure of between 0.1 and 10 MPa, at a hydrogen/(benzene) molar ratio between 0.1 and 10 and at an hourly space velocity HSV of between 0.05 and 50 h −1 .