Study of the Effect of Catalyst Preparation Method on Benzene Reduction in the Refinery Platformate Using Competitive Hydrogenation

Nickel catalysts were prepared with different methods and used for hydrogenation of benzene in the refinery platformate. The catalysts were evaluated in a continuous fixed-bed reactor at atmospheric pressure and temperature range of 473-423 K. The physicochemical properties of catalysts were identified by XRD, XRF, FESEM, EDS-map, H2 adsorption and nitrogen adsorption/desorption methods. The effect of hydrogen to benzene ratio and space velocity on catalysts activity were studied. The percentage of nickel particles dispersion is dependent to the method of preparation, the amount of loaded nickel and the interaction between the support and nickel. The catalysts produced by the sedimentation and sol-gel method, 4-6 times more than toluene hydrogenated benzene in the platformate. The highest benzene conversion at 448 K temperature was obtained by catalyst prepared by sedimentation. This catalyst has a better performance in the hydrogenation of benzene due to the greater dispersion and homogeneity of nickel particles.