Effect of the catalytic system and operating conditions on BTX formation using tetralin as a model molecule

Light cycle oil (LCO) is an inexpensive feedstock for the production of high-added-commercial-value-mono-aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX). To extend the knowledge on the processing of LCO for BTX production, the hydrocracking reaction was studied using a commercial NiMo/Al₂O₃ catalyst, ZSM-5 zeolite and their mechanical mixtures (20/80, 30/70 and 50/50) for processing tetralin as model feedstock in a bench-scale-trickle-bed reactor at 450–500?°C, 3.9–5.9?MPa, 1.3 1/h and H₂/feed volume ratio of 168–267?m³/m³. Accessible, well-dispersed and strong Br?nsted acid sites eased the hydrocracking of tetralin to BTX and the metallic hydrogenation functions from nickel–molybdenum catalysts were also required to minimize deactivation. To achieve suitable tetralin conversions (86–95?wt%), high BTX selectivity in the liquid phase (44–70?wt%) and suitable catalytic activities for coke precursor hydrogenation (to reduce deactivation), NiMo/Al₂O₃//ZSM-5 mixtures (50–80 ZSM-5) were employed, which probed to be effective.