Hydrocarbon Conversion With an Acidic Multimetallic Catalytic Composite

The subject of the present invention is a novel acidic multimetallic catalytic composite which has exceptional activity and resistance to deactivation when employed in a hydrocarbon conversion process that requires a catalyst having both a hydrogenation-dehydrogenation function and a carbonium ion-forming function. More precisely, the present invention involves a novel dual-function acidic multimetallic catalytic composite which, quite surprisingly, enables substantial improvements in hydrocarbon conversion processes that have traditionally used a dual-function catalyst. In another aspect, the present invention comprehends the improved processes that are produced by the use of a catalytic composite comprising a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum group component, a nickel component, a uranium component, and a halogen component with a porous carrier material; specifically, an improved reforming process which utilizes the subject catalyst to improve activity, selectivity, and stability characteristics.

Composites having a hydrogenation-dehydrogenation function and a carbonium ion-forming function are widely used today as catalysts in many industries, such as the petroleum and petrochemical industry, to accelerate a wide spectrum of hydrocarbon conversion reactions. Generally, the carbonium ion-forming function is thought to be associated with an acid-acting material of the porous, adsorptive, refractory oxide type which is typically utilized as the support or carrier for a heavy metal component such as the metals or compounds of metals of Groups V through VIII of the Periodic Table to which are generally attributed the hydrogenation-dehydrogenation function.

These catalytic composites are used to accelerate a wide variety of hydrocarbon conversion reactions such as hydrocracking, hydrogenolysis, isomerization, dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, desulfurization, cyclization, polymerization, alkylation, cracking, hydroisomerization, dealkylation, transalkylation, etc. In many cases, the commercial applications of these catalysts are in processes where more than one of the reactions are proceeding simultaneously. An example of this type of process is reforming wherein a hydrocarbon feedstream containing paraffins and naphthenes is subjected to conditions which promote dehydrogenation of naphthenes to aromatics, dehydrocyclization of paraffins to aromatics, isomerization of paraffins and naphthenes, hydrocracking and hydrogenolysis of naphthenes and paraffins, and the like reactions, to produce an octane-rich or aromatic-rich product stream. Another example is a hydrocracking process wherein catalysts of this type are utilized to effect selective hydrogenation and cracking of high molecular weight unsaturated materials, selective hydrocracking of high molecular weight materials, and other like reactions, to produce a generally lower boiling, more valuable output stream. Yet another example is a hydroisomerization process wherein a hydrocarbon fraction which is relatively rich in straight-chain paraffin compounds is contacted with a dual-function catalyst to produce an output stream rich in isoparaffin compounds.

Regardless of the reaction involved or the particular process involved, it is of critical importance that the dual-function catalyst exhibit not only the capability to initially perform its specified functions, but also that it has the capability to perform them satisfactorily for prolonged periods of time. The analytical terms used in the art to measure how well a particular catalyst performs its intended functions in a particular hydrocarbon reaction environment are activity, selectivity, and stability. And for purposes of discussion here, these terms are conveniently defined for a given charge stock as follows: (1) activity is a measure of the catalyst's ability to convert hydrocarbon reactants into products at a specified severity level where severity level means the conditions used--that is, the temperature, pressure, contact time, and presence of diluents such as H.sub.2 ; (2) selectivity refers to the amount of desired product or products obtained relative to the amount of reactants charged or converted; (3) stability refers to the rate of change with time of the activity and selectivity parameters--obviously, the smaller rate implying the more stable catalyst. In a reforming process, for example, activity commonly refers to the amount of conversion that takes place for a given charge stock at a specified severity level and is typically measured by octane number of the C.sub.5 + product stream; selectivity refers to the amount of C.sub.5 + yield, relative to the amount of the charge, that is obtained at the particular activity or severity level; and stability is typically equated to the rate of change with time of activity, as measured by octane number of C.sub.5 + product, and of selectivity as measured by C.sub.5 + yield. Actually, the last statement is not strictly correct because generally a continuous reforming process is run to produce a constant octane C.sub.5 + product with severity level being continuously adjusted to attain this result; and furthermore, the severity level is for this process usually varied by adjusting the conversion temperature in the reaction so that, in point of fact, the rate of change of activity finds response in the rate of change of conversion temperature and changes in this last parameter are customarily taken as indicative of activity stability.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the principal cause of observed deactivation or instability of a dual-function catalyst when it is used in a hydrocarbon conversion reaction is associated with the fact that coke forms on the surface of the catalyst during the course of the reaction. More specifically, in these hydrocarbon conversion processes, the conditions utilized typically result in the formation of heavy, high molecular weight, black, solid or semi-solid, carbonaceous material which is a hydrogen-deficient polymeric substance having properties akin to both polynuclear aromatics and graphite. This material coats the surface of the catalyst and thus reduces its activity by shielding its active sites from the reactants. In other words, the performance of this dual-function catalyst is sensitive to the presence of carbonaceous deposits or coke on the surface of the catalyst. Accordingly, the major problem facing workers in this area of the art is the development of more active and/or selective catalytic composites that are not as sensitive to the presence of these carbonaceous materials and/or have the capability to suppress the rate of the formation of these carbonaceous materials on the catalyst. Viewed in terms of performance parameters, the problem is to develop a dual-function catalyst having superior activity, selectivity, and stability characteristics. In particular, for a reforming process the problem is typically expressed in terms of shifting and stabilizing the C.sub.5 + yield-octane relationship at the lowest possible severity level--C.sub.5 + yield being representative of selectivity and octane being proportional to activity.

We have now found a dual-function acidic multimetallic catalytic composite which possesses improved activity, selectivity, and stability characteristics when it is employed in a process for the conversion of hydrocarbons of the type which have heretofore utilized dual-function acidic catalytic composites such as processes for isomerization, hydroisomerization, dehydrogenation, desulfurization, denitrogenization, hydrogenation, alkylation, dealkylation, disproportionation, polymerization, hydrodealkylation, transalkylation, cyclization, dehydrocyclization, cracking, hydrocracking, halogenation, reforming, and the like processes. In particular, we have ascertained that an acidic catalyst, comprising a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum group component, a nickel component, a uranium component, and a halogen component with a porous refractory carrier material, can enable the performance of hydrocarbon conversion processes utilizing dual-function catalysts to be substantially improved if the metallic components are uniformly dispersed throughout the carrier material and if their oxidation states are controlled to be in the states hereinafter specified. Moreover, we have determined that an acidic catalytic composite, comprising a combination of catalytically effective amounts of a platinum group component, a nickel component, a uranium component, and a chloride component with an alumina carrier material, can be utilized to substantially improve the performance of a reforming process which operates on a low-octane gasoline fraction to produce a high-octane reformate if the metallic components are uniformly dispersed throughout the alumina carrier material, if the catalyst is prepared and maintained during use in the process in a substantially sulfur-free state, and if the oxidation states of the metallic components are fixed in the state hereinafter specified. In the case of a reforming process, the principal advantage associated with the use of the present invention involves the acquisition of the capability to operate in a stable manner in a high severity operation; for example, a low or moderate pressure reforming process designed to produce a C.sub.5 + reformate having an octane of about 100 F-1 clear. As indicated, the present invention essentially involves the finding that the addition of a combination of a uranium component and a nickel component to a dual-function acidic hydrocarbon conversion catalyst containing a platinum group component can enable the performance characteristics of the catalyst to be sharply and materially improved, if the hereinafter specified limitations on amounts of ingredients, exclusion of sulfur, oxidation states of metal, and distribution of metallic compounds in the support are met.

It is, accordingly, one object of the present invention to provide an acidic multimetallic hydrocarbon conversion catalyst having superior performance characteristics when utilized in a hydrocarbon conversion process. A second object is to provide an acidic multimetallic catalyst having dual-function hydrocarbon conversion performance characteristics that are relatively insensitive to the deposition of hydrocarbonaceous material thereon. A third object is to provide preferred methods of preparation of this acidic multimetallic catalytic composite which insures the achievement and maintenance of its properties. Another object is to provide an improved reforming catalyst having superior activity, selectivity, and stability characteristics. Yet another object is to provide a dual-function hydrocarbon conversion catalyst which utilizes a combination of a uranium component and a nickel component to beneficially interact with and promote an acidic catalyst containing a platinum group component.

In brief summary, the present invention is, in one embodiment, an acidic catalytic composite comprising a porous carrier material containing, on an elemental basis, about 0.01 to about 2 wt.% platinum group metal, about 0.05 to about 5 wt.% nickel, about 0.1 to about 10 wt.% uranium, and about 0.1 to about 3.5 wt.% halogen. The platinum group, uranium, and catalytically available nickel components are, moreover, uniformly dispersed throughout the porous carrier material and the oxidation states of the metals are adjusted so that (1) substantially all of the platinum group component is present in the elemental metallic state, (2) substantially all of the uranium component is present in an oxidation state above that of the elemental metal, and (3) substantially all of the catalytically available nickel component is present in the elemental metallic state or in a state which is reducible to the elemental metallic state under hydrocarbon conversion conditions or in a mixture of these states.

A second embodiment relates to an acidic substantially sulfur-free catalytic composite comprising a porous carrier material containing, on an elemental basis, about 0.05 to about 1 wt.% platinum group metal, about 0.1 to about 2.5 wt.% nickel, about 0.25 to about 5 wt.% uranium, and about 0.5 to about 1.5 wt.% halogen. The platinum group, uranium, and catalytically available nickel components are uniformly dispersed throughout the porous carrier material of this component such that substantially all of the platinum group component is present in the corresponding elemental metallic state, substantially all of the uranium component is present in an oxidation state above that of the elemental metal, and substantially all of the catalytically available nickel component is present in the elemental metallic state or in a state which is reducible to the elemental metallic state under hydrocarbon conversion conditions or in a mixture of these states.

A third embodiment relates to the catalytic composite described in the first or second embodiment wherein the halogen component is combined chloride.

Yet another embodiment involves a process for the conversion of a hydrocarbon comprising contacting the hydrocarbon and hydrogen with the catalytic composite described above in the first or second or third embodiment at hydrocarbon conversion conditions.

A preferred embodiment comprehends a process for reforming a gasoline fraction which comprises contacting the gasoline fraction and hydrogen with the catalytic composite described above in the first or second or third embodiment at reforming conditions selected to produce a high octane reformate.

A highly preferred embodiment is a process for reforming a gasoline fraction which comprises contacting the gasoline fraction and hydrogen in a substantially water-free and sulfur-free environment with the catalytic composite characterized in the first, second, or third embodiment at reforming conditions selected to produce a high octane reformate.

Other objects and embodiments of the present invention relate to additional details regarding preferred catalytic ingredients, preferred amounts of ingredients, suitable methods of composite preparation, operating conditions for use in the hydrocarbon conversion processes, and the like particulars, which are hereinafter given in the following detailed discussion of each of these facets of the present invention.

The acidic multimetallic catalyst of the present invention comprises a porous carrier material or support having combined therewith catalytically effective amounts of a platinum group component, a nickel component, a uranium component, and a halogen component.

Considering first the porous carrier material utilized in the present invention, it is preferred that the material be a porous, adsorptive, high-surface area support having a surface area of about 25 to about 500 m.sup.2 /g. The porous carrier material should be relatively refractory to the conditions utilized in the hydrocarbon conversion process, and it is intended to include within the scope of the present invention carrier materials which have traditionally been utilized in dual-function hydrocarbon conversion catalysts such as: (1) activated carbon, coke, or charcoal; (2) silica or silica gel, silicon carbide, clays, and silicates including those synthetically prepared and naturally occurring, which may or may not be acid treated, for example, attapulgus clay, china clay, diatomaceous earth, fuller's earth, kaolin, kieselguhr, etc., (3) ceramics, porcelain, crushed firebrick, bauxite; (4) refractory inorganic oxides such as alumina, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, chromium oxide, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, cesium oxide, hafnium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesia, boria, thoria, silica-alumina, silica-magnesia, chromia-alumina, alumina-boria, silica-zirconia, etc.; (5) crystalline zeolitic aluminosilicates such as naturally occurring or synthetically prepared mordenite and/or faujasite, either in the hydrogen form or in a form which has been treated with multivalent cations; (6) spinels such as MgAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, FeAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, ZnAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, MnAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, CaAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, and other like compounds having the formula MO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 where M is a metal having a valence of 2; and (7) combinations of elements from one or more of these groups. The preferred porous carrier materials for use in the present invention are refractory inorganic oxides, with best results obtained with an alumina carrier material. Suitable alumina materials are the crystalline aluminas known as gamma-, eta-, and theta-alumina, with gamma- or eta-alumina giving best results. In addition, in some embodiments the alumina carrier material may contain minor proportions of other well known refractory inorganic oxides such as silica, zirconia, magnesia, etc.; however, the preferred support is substantially pure gamma- or eta-alumina. Preferred carrier materials have an apparent bulk density of about 0.3 to about 0.8 g/cc and surface area characteristics such that the average pore diameter is about 20 to 300 Angstroms, the pore volume is about 0.1 to about 1 cc/g and the surface area is about 100 to about 500 m.sup.2 /g. In general, best results are typically obtained with a gamma-alumina carrier material which is used in the form of spherical particles having: a relatively small diameter (i.e. typically about 1/16 inch), an apparent bulk density of about 0.3 to about 0.8 g/cc, a pore volume of about 0.4 ml/g, and a surface area of about 150 to about 250 m.sup.2 /g.

The preferred alumina carrier material may be prepared in any suitable manner and may be synthetically prepared or natural occurring. Whatever type of alumina is employed, it may be activated prior to use by one or more treatments including drying, calcination, steaming, etc., and it may be in a form known as activated alumina, activated alumina of commerce, porous alumina, alumina gel, etc. For example, the alumina carrier may be prepared by adding a suitable alkaline reagent, such as ammonium hydroxide, to a salt of aluminum such as aluminum chloride, aluminum nitrate, etc., in an amount to form an aluminum hydroxide gel which upon drying and calcining is converted to alumina. The alumina carrier may be formed in any desired shape such as spheres, pills, cakes, extrudates, powders, granules, tablets, etc., and utilized in any desired size. For the purpose of the present invention a particularly preferred form of alumina is the sphere; and alumina spheres may be continuously manufactured by the well-known oil drop method which comprises: forming an alumina hydrosol by any of the techniques taught in the art and preferably by reacting aluminum metal with hydrochloric acid, combining the resultant hydrosol with a suitable gelling agent and dropping the resultant mixture into an oil bath maintained at elevated temperatures. The droplets of the mixture remain in the oil bath until they set and form hydrogel spheres. The spheres are then continuously withdrawn from the oil bath and typically subjected to specific aging treatments in oil and an ammoniacal solution to further improve their physical characteristics. The resulting aged and gelled particles are then washed and dried at a relatively low temperature of about 300.degree. F. to about 400.degree. F. and subjected to a calcination procedure at a temperature of about 850.degree. F. to about 1300.degree. F. for a period of about 1 to about 20 hours. This treatment effects conversion of the alumina hydrogel to the corresponding crystalline gamma-alumina. See the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,314 for additional details.

Another particularly preferred alumina carrier material is synthesized from a unique crystalline alumina powder which has been characterized in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,852,190 and 4,012,313 as a byproduct from a Ziegler higher alcohol synthesis reaction as described in Ziegler's U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,858. For purposes of simplification, the name "Ziegler alumina" is used herein to identify this material. It is presently available from the Conoco Chemical Division of Continental Oil Company under the trademark Catapal. This material is an extremely high purity alpha-alumina monohydrate (boehmite) which after calcination at a high temperature has been shown to yield a high purity gamma-alumina. It is commercially available in three forms: (1) Catapal SB--a spray dried powder having a typical surface area of 250 m.sup.2 /g; (2) Catapal NG--a rotary kiln dried alumina having a typical surface area of 180 m.sup.2 /g; and (3) Dispal M--a finely divided dispersable product having a typical surface area of about 185 m.sup.2 /g. For purposes of the present invention, the preferred starting material is the spray dried powder, Catapal SB. This alpha-alumina monohydrate powder may be formed into a suitable catalyst material according to any of the techniques known to those skilled in the catalyst carrier material forming art. Spherical carrier material particles can be formed, for example, from this Ziegler alumina by: (1) converting the alpha-alumina monohydrate powder into an alumina sol by reaction with a suitable peptizing acid and water and thereafter dropping a mixture of the resulting sol and a gelling agent into an oil bath to form spherical particles of an alumina gel which are easily converted to a gamma-alumina carrier material by known methods; (2) forming an extrudate from the powder by established methods and thereafter rolling the extrudate particles on a spinning disc until spherical particles are formed which can then be dried and calcined to form the desired particles of spherical carrier material; and (3) wetting the powder with a suitable peptizing agent and thereafter rolling particles of the powder into spherical masses of the desired size in much the same way that children have been known to make parts of snowmen by rolling snowballs down hills covered with wet snow. This alumina powder can also be formed in any other desired shape or type of carrier material known to those skilled in the art such as rods, pills, pellets, tablets, granules, extrudates and the like forms by methods well known to the practitioners of the catalyst carrier material forming art. The preferred type of carrier material for the present invention is a cylindrical extrudate having a diameter of about 1/32" to about 1/8" (especially about 1/16") and a length to diameter (L/D) ratio of about 1:1 to about 5:1, with a L/D ratio of about 2:1 being especially preferred. The especially preferred extrudate form of the carrier material is preferably prepared by mixing the alumina powder with water and a suitable peptizing agent such as nitric acid, acetic acid, aluminum nitrate and the like material until an extrudable dough is formed. The amount of water added to form the dough is typically sufficient to give a loss on ignition (LOI) at 500.degree. C. of about 45 to 65 wt.%, with a value of about 55 wt.% being especially preferred. On the other hand, the acid addition rate is generally sufficient to provide about 2 to 7 wt.% of the volatile free alumina powder used in the mix, with a value of about 3 to 4% being especially preferred. The resulting dough is then extruded through a suitably sized die to form extrudate particles. These particles are then dried at a temperature of about 500.degree. to 800.degree. F. for a period of about 0.1 to about 5 hours and thereafter calcined at a temperature of about 900.degree. F. to about 1500.degree. F. for a period of about 0.5 to about 5 hours to form the preferred extrudate particles of the Ziegler alumina carrier material. In addition, in some embodiments of the present invention the Ziegler alumina carrier material may contain minor proportions of other well known refractory inorganic oxides such as silica, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, chromium oxide, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, cesium oxide, hafnium oxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, cobalt oxide, magnesia, boria, thoria, and the like materials which can be blended into the extrudable dough prior to the extrusion of same. In the same manner crystalline zeolitic aluminosilicates such as naturally occurring or synthetically prepared mordenite and/or faujasite, either in the hydrogen form or in a form which has been treated with a multivalent cation, such as a rare earth, can be incorporated into this carrier material by blending finely divided particles of same into the extrudable dough prior to extrusion of same. A preferred carrier material of this type is substantially pure Ziegler alumina having an apparent bulk density (ABD) of about 0.6 to 1 g/cc (especially an ABD of about 0.7 to about 0.85 g/cc), a surface area of about 150 to about 280 m.sup.2 /g (preferably about 185 to about 235 m.sup.2 /g), and a pore volume of about 0.3 to about 0.8 cc/g.

The expression "catalytically available nickel" as used herein is intended to mean the portion of the nickel component that is available for use in accelerating the particular hydrocarbon conversion reaction of interest. For certain types of carrier materials which can be used in the preparation of the instant catalyst composite, it has been observed that a portion of the nickel incorporated therein is essentially bound-up in the crystal structure thereof in a manner which essentially makes it more a part of the refractory carrier material than a catalytically active component. Specific examples of this effect are observed when the carrier material can form a refractory spinel or spinel-like structure with a portion of the nickel component and/or when a refractory nickel oxide or aluminate is formed by reaction of the carrier material (or precursor thereof) with a portion of the nickel component. When this effect occurs, it is only with great difficulty that the portion of the nickel bound-up with the support can be reduced to a catalytically active state and the conditions required to do this are beyond the severity levels normally associated with hydrocarbon conversion conditions and are in fact likely to seriously damage the necessary porous characteristics of the support. In the cases where nickel can interact with the crystal structure of the support to render a portion thereof catalytically unavailable, the concept of the present invention merely requires that the amount of nickel added to the subject catalyst be adjusted to satisfy the requirements of the support as well as the catalytically available nickel requirements of the present invention. Against this background then, the hereinafter stated specifications for oxidation state and dispersion of the nickel component are to be interpreted as directed to a description of the catalytically available nickel. On the other hand, the specifications for the amount of nickel used are to be interpreted to include all of the nickel contained in the catalyst in any form.

One essential constituent of the acidic multimetallic catalyst of the present invention is a uranium component. This component may in general be present in the instant catalytic composite in any catalytically available form wherein substantially all of the uranium moiety is present in a positive oxidation state such as a compound like the oxide, hydroxide, halide, oxyhalide, aluminate, or in chemical combination with one or more of the other ingredients of the catalyst. It is believed that best results are obtained when substantially all of the uranium component is present in the composite in the form of uranium oxide and the subsequently described oxidation and reduction steps that are preferably used in the preparation of the instant catalytic composite are specifically designed to achieve this end. This uranium component can be used in any amount which is catalytically effective, with good results obtained, on an elemental basis, with about 0.1 to about 10 wt.% uranium in the catalyst. Best results are ordinarily achieved with about 0.25 to about 5 wt.% uranium, calculated on an elemental basis.

This uranium component may be incorporated in the catalytic composite in any suitable manner known to the art to result in a relatively uniform dispersion of the uranium moiety in the carrier material, such as by coprecipitation or cogellation with the porous carrier material, ion exchange with the gelled carrier material, or impregnation with the carrier material either after, before, or during the period when it is dried and calcined. It is to be noted that it is intended to include within the scope of the present invention all conventional methods for incorporating and simultaneously uniformly distributing a metallic component in a catalytic composite and the particular method of incorporation used is not deemed to be an essential feature of the present invention. One preferred method of incorporating the uranium component into the catalytic composite involves cogelling or coprecipitating the uranium component in the form of the corresponding hydrous oxide during the preparation of the preferred carrier material, alumina. This method typically involves the addition of a suitable sol-soluble uranium compound such as uranyl acetate, uranyl chloride, uranyl nitrate, and the like to the alumina hydrosol and then combining the hydrosol with a suitable gelling agent and dropping the resulting mixture into an oil bath, etc., as explained in detail hereinbefore. Alternatively, the uranium compound can be added to the gelling agent. After drying and calcining the resulting gelled carrier material in air, there is obtained an intimate combination of alumina and uranium oxide, or uranium aluminate or uranium oxyhalide. An especially preferred method of incorporating the uranium component into the catalytic composite involves utilization of a soluble, decomposable compound of uranium to impregnate the porous carrier material. In general, the solvent used in this impregnation step is selected on the basis of the capability to dissolve the desired uranium compound without adversely affecting the carrier material or the other ingredients of the catalyst--for example, a suitable alcohol, ether, acid and the like solvents. The solvent is preferably an aqueous, acidic solution. Thus, the uranium component may be added to the carrier material by commingling the latter with an aqueous acidic solution of suitable uranium salt, complex, or compound such as uranium tetrabromide, uranium tribromide, uranium tetrachloride, uranium trichloride, uranium tetrafluoride, uranyl acetate, uranyl chloride, uranyl formate, uranyl nitrate, uranyl oxalate, uranyl carbonate and the like compounds. A particularly preferred impregnation solution comprises an acidic aqueous solution of uranyl acetate. Suitable acids for use in the impregnation solution are: inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and the like, and strongly acidic organic acids such as oxalic acid, malonic acid, citric acid, and the like. In general, the uranium component can be impregnated either prior to, simultaneously with, or after the other ingredients are added to the carrier material. However, excellent results are obtained when the uranium component is impregnated simultaneously with the platinum group and nickel components. In fact, a preferred impregnation solution is an aqueous solution of chloroplatinic acid, hydrochloric acid, uranyl acetate, and nickel chloride.

A second essential ingredient of the subject catalyst is the platinum group component. That is, it is intended to cover the use of platinum, iridium, osmium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, or mixtures thereof, as a second component of the present composite. It is an essential feature of the present invention that substantially all of this platinum group component exists within the final catalytic composite in the elemental metallic state. Generally, the amount of this component present in the final catalytic composite is small compared to the quantities of the other components combined therewith. In fact, the platinum group component generally will comprise about 0.01 to about 2 wt.% of the final catalytic composite, calculated on an elemental basis. Excellent results are obtained when the catalyst contains about 0.05 to about 1 wt.% of platinum, iridium, rhodium, or palladium metal. Particularly preferred mixtures of these metals are platinum and iridium, and platinum and rhodium.

This platinum group component may be incorporated in the catalytic composite in any suitable manner known to result in a relatively uniform distribution of this component in the carrier material such as coprecipitation or cogelation, ion exchange or impregnation. The preferred method of preparing the catalyst involves the utilization of a soluble, decomposable compound of platinum group metal to impregnate the carrier material in a relatively uniform manner. For example, this component may be added to the support by commingling the latter with an aqueous solution of chloroplatinic or chloroiridic or chloropalladic acid. Other water-soluble compounds or complexes of platinum group metals may be employed in impregnation solutions and include ammonium chloroplatinate, bromoplatinic acid, platinum trichloride, platinum tetrachloride hydrate, platinum dichlorocarbonyl dichloride, dinitrodiaminoplatinum, sodium tetranitroplatinate (II), palladium chloride, palladium nitrate, palladium sulfate, diamminepalladium (II) hydroxide, tetramminepalladium (II) chloride, hexamminerhodium chloride, rhodium carbonylchloride, rhodium trichloride hydrate, rhodium nitrate, sodium hexachlororhodate (III), sodium hexanitrorhodate (III), iridium tribromide, iridium dichloride, iridium tetrachloride, sodium hexanitroiridate (III), potassium or sodium chloroiridate, potassium rhodium oxalate, etc. The utilization of a platinum, iridium, rhodium, or palladium chloride compound, such as chloroplatinic, chloroiridic, or chloropalladic acid or rhodium trichloride hydrate, is preferred since it facilitates the incorporation of both the platinum group components and at least a minor quantity of the halogen component in a single step. Hydrogen chloride or the like acid is also generally added to the impregnation solution in order to further facilitate the incorporation of the halogen component and the uniform distribution of the metallic components throughout the carrier material. In addition, it is generally preferred to impregnate the carrier material after it has been calcined in order to minimize the risk of washing away the valuable platinum or palladium compounds; however, in some cases it may be advantageous to impregnate the carrier material when it is in a gelled state.

A third essential ingredient of the acidic multimetallic catalytic composite of the present invention is a nickel component. Although this component may be initially incorporated into the composite in many different decomposable forms which are hereinafter stated, my basic finding is that the catalytically active state for hydrocarbon conversion with this component is the elemental metallic state. Consequently, it is a feature of my invention that substantially all of the catalytically available nickel component exists in the catalytic composite either in the elemental metallic state or in a state which is reducible to the elemental state under hydrocarbon conversion conditions or in a mixture of these states. Examples of this reducible state are obtained when the catalytically available nickel component is initially present in the form of nickel oxide, halide, hydroxide, oxyhalide, and the like reducible compounds. As a corollary to this basic finding on the active state of the catalytically available nickel component, it follows that the presence of catalytically available nickel in forms which are not reducible at hydrocarbon conversion conditions is to be scrupulously avoided if the full benefits of the present invention are to be realized. Illustrative of these undesired forms are nickel sulfide and the nickel oxysulfur compounds such as nickel sulfate. Best results are obtained when the composite initially contains all of the catalytically available nickel component in the elemental metallic state or in a reducible oxide state or in a mixture of these states. All available evidence indicates that the preferred preparation procedure specifically described in Example I results in a catalyst having the catalytically available nickel component in the elemental metallic state or in a reducible oxide form. The nickel component may be utilized in the composite in any amount which is catalytically effective, with the preferred amount being about 0.05 to about 5 wt.% thereof, calculated on an elemental nickel basis. Typically, best results are obtained with about 0.1 to about 2.5 wt.% nickel. It is, additionally, preferred to select the specific amount of nickel from within this broad weight range as a function of the amount of the platinum group component, on an atomic basis, as is explained hereinafter.

The nickel component may be incorporated into the catalytic composite in any suitable manner known to those skilled in the catalyst formulation art to result in a relatively uniform distribution of the catalytically available nickel in the carrier material such as coprecipitation, cogelation, ion exchange, impregnation, etc. In addition, it may be added at any stage of the preparation of the composite--either during preparation of the carrier material or thereafter--since the precise method of incorporation used is not deemed to be critical. However, best results are obtained when the catalytically available nickel component is relatively uniformly distributed throughout the carrier material in a relatively small particle or crystallite size, and the preferred procedures are the ones that are known to result in a composite having a relatively uniform distribution of the catalytically available nickel moiety in a relatively small particle size. One acceptable procedure for incorporating this component into the composite involves cogelling or coprecipitating the nickel component during the preparation of the preferred carrier material, alumina. This procedure usually comprehends the addition of a soluble, decomposable, and reducible compound of nickel such as nickel chloride or nitrate to the alumina hydrosol before it is gelled. The resulting mixture is then finished by conventional gelling, aging, drying, and calcination steps as explained hereinbefore. One preferred way of incorporating this component is an impregnation step wherein the porous carrier material is impregnated with a suitable nickel-containing solution either before, during, or after the carrier material is calcined or oxidized. The solvent used to form the impregnation solution may be water, alcohol, ether, or any other suitable organic or inorganic solvent provided the solvent does not adversely interact with any of the other ingredients of the composite or interfere with the distribution and reduction of the nickel component. Preferred impregnation solutions are aqueous solutions of water-soluble, decomposable, and reducible nickel compounds or complexes such as nickel bromate, nickel bromide, nickel perchlorate, nickel chloride, nickel fluoride, nickel iodide, nickel nitrate, hexamminenickel (II) chloride, diaquotetramminenickel (II) nitrate, hexamminenickel (II) nitrate, and the like compounds or complexes. Best results are ordinarily obtained when the impregnation solution is an aqueous acidic solution of nickel chloride or nickel nitrate. This nickel component can be added to the carrier material, either prior to, simultaneously with, or after the other metallic components are combined therewith. Best results are usually achieved when this component is added simultaneously with the platinum group and uranium components via an acidic aqueous impregnation solution.

It is essential to incorporate a halogen component into the acidic multimetallic catalytic composite of the present invention. Although the precise form of the chemistry of the association of the halogen component with the carrier material is not entirely known, it is customary in the art to refer to the halogen component as being combined with the carrier material, or with the other ingredients of the catalyst in the form of the halide (e.g., as the chloride). This combined halogen may be either fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, or mixtures thereof. Of these, fluorine and, particularly, chlorine are preferred for the purposes of the present invention. The halogen may be added to the carrier material in any suitable manner, either during preparation of the support or before or after the addition of the other components. For example, the halogen may be added, at any stage of the preparation of the carrier material or to the calcined carrier material, as an aqueous solution of a suitable decomposable halogen-containing compound such as hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, ammonium chloride, etc. The halogen component or a portion thereof, may be combined with the carrier material during the impregnation of the latter with the platinum group, nickel, or uranium components; for example, through the utilization of a mixture of chloroplatinic acid and hydrogen chloride. In another situation, the alumina hydrosol which is typically utilized to form the preferred alumina carrier material may contain halogen and thus contribute at least a portion of the halogen component to the final composite. For reforming, the halogen will be typically combined with the carrier material in an amount sufficient to result in a final composite that contains about 0.1 to about 3.5%, and preferably about 0.5 to about 1.5%, by weight of halogen, calculated on an elemental basis. In isomerization or hydrocracking embodiments, it is generally preferred to utilize relatively larger amounts of halogen in the catalyst--typically, ranging up to about 10 wt.% halogen calculated on an elemental basis, and more preferably, about 1 to about 5 wt.%. It is to be understood that the specified level of halogen component in the instant catalyst can be achieved or maintained during use in the conversion of hydrocarbons by continuously or periodically adding to the reaction zone a decomposable halogen-containing compound such as an organic chloride (e.g. ethylene dichloride, carbon tetrachloride, t-butyl chloride) in an amount of about 1 to 100 wt. ppm. of the hydrocarbon feed, and preferably, about 1 to 10 wt. ppm.

Regarding especially preferred amounts of the various metallic components of the subject catalyst, we have found it to be a good practice to specify the amounts of the nickel component and the uranium component as a function of the amount of the platinum group component. On this basis, the amount of the nickel component is ordinarily selected so that the atomic ratio of nickel to platinum group metal contained in the composite is about 0.1:1 to about 66:1, with the preferred range being about 0.4:1 to about 18:1. Similarly, the amount of the uranium component is ordinarily selected to produce a composite containing an atomic ratio of uranium to platinum group metal of about 0.1:1 to about 80:1, with the preferred range being about 0.5:1 to about 20:1.

Another significant parameter for the instant catalyst is the "total metals content" which is defined to be the sum of the platinum group component, the nickel component, and the uranium component, calculated on an elemental basis. Good results are ordinarily obtained with the subject catalyst when this parameter is fixed at a value of about 0.5 to about 5 wt.%, with best results ordinarily achieved at a metals loading of about 0.7 to about 4 wt.%.

In embodiments of the present invention wherein the instant multimetallic catalytic composite is used for the dehydrogenation of dehydrogenatable hydrocarbons or for the hydrogenation of hydrogenatable hydrocarbons, it is ordinarily a preferred practice to include an alkali or alkaline earth metal component in the composite and to minimize or eliminate the halogen component. More precisely, this optional ingredient is selected from the group consisting of the compounds of the alkali metals--cesium, rubidium, potassium, sodium, and lithium--and the compounds of the alkaline earth metals--calcium, strontium, barium, and magnesium. Generally, good results are obtained in these embodiments when this component constitutes about 0.1 to about 5 wt.% of the composite, calculated on an elemental basis. This optional alkali or alkaline earth metal component can be incorporated in the composite in any of the known ways, with impregnation with an aqueous solution of a suitable water-soluble, decomposable compound being preferred.

An optional ingredient for the multimetallic catalyst of the present invention is a Friedel-Crafts metal halide component. This ingredient is particularly useful in hydrocarbon conversion embodiments of the present invention wherein it is preferred that the catalyst utilized has a strong acid or cracking function associated therewith--for example, an embodiment wherein hydrocarbons are to be hydrocracked or isomerized with the catalyst of the present invention. Suitable metal halides of the Friedel-Crafts type include aluminum chloride, aluminum bromide, ferric chloride, ferric bromide, zinc chloride, and the like compounds, with the aluminum halides and particularly aluminum chloride ordinarily yielding best results. Generally, this optional ingredient can be incorporated into the composite of the present invention by any of the conventional methods for adding metallic halides of this type; however, best results are ordinarily obtained when the metallic halide is sublimed onto the surface of the carrier material according to the preferred method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,074. The component can generally be utilized in any amount which is catalytically effective, with a value selected from the range of about 1 to about 100 wt.% of the carrier material generally being preferred.

Regardless of the details of how the components of the catalyst are combined with the porous carrier material, the final catalyst generally will be dried at a temperature of about 200.degree. to about 600.degree. F. for a period of at least about 2 to about 24 hours or more, and finally calcined or oxidized at a temperature of about 700.degree. F. to about 1100.degree. F. in an air to oxygen atmosphere for a period of about 0.5 to about 10 hours in order to convert substantially all of the metallic components to the corresponding oxide form. Because a halogen component is utilized in the catalyst, best results are generally obtained when the halogen content of the catalyst is adjusted during the oxidation step by including a halogen or a halogen-containing compound such as HCl or an HCl-producing substance in the air or oxygen atmosphere utilized. In particular, when the halogen component of the catalyst is chlorine, it is preferred to use a mole ratio of H.sub.2 O to HCl of about 5:1 to about 100:1 during at least a portion of the oxidation step in order to adjust the final chlorine content of the catalyst to a range of about 0.1 to about 3.5 wt.%. Preferably, the duration of this halogenation step is about 1 to 5 hours.

The resultant oxidized catalytic composite is preferably subjected to a substantially water-free reduction step prior to its use in the conversion of hydrocarbons. This step is designed to selectively reduce the platinum group component to the elemental metallic state and to insure a uniform and finely divided dispersion of the metallic components throughout the carrier material, while maintaining the uranium component in a positive oxidation state. Preferably, a substantially pure and dry hydrogen stream (i.e. less than 20 vol. ppm. H.sub.2 O) is used as the reducing agent in this step. The reducing agent is contacted with the oxidized catalyst at conditions including a reduction temperature of about 800.degree. F. to about 1200.degree. F., preferably about 800.degree. F. to about 1000.degree. F., a gas hourly space velocity sufficient to rapidly dissipate any local concentrations of water formed during the reduction step, and a period of time of about 0.5 to 10 hours effective to reduce substantially all of the platinum group component to the elemental metallic state while maintaining the uranium component in an oxidation state above that of the elemental metal. If this reduction step is performed with a hydrocarbon-free hydrogen stream at the temperature indicated, and if the catalytically available nickel component is properly distributed in the carrier material in the oxide form, a substantial portion of the catalytically available nickel component may not be reduced in this step. However, once the catalyst sees a flowing mixture of hydrogen and hydrocarbon (such as during the starting-up and lining-out of the hydrocarbon conversion process using same), at least a major portion and, typically substantially all, of the catalytically available nickel component is quickly reduced at the specified reduction temperature range. This reduction treatment may be performed in situ as part of the start-up sequence if precautions are taken to predry the plant to a substantially water-free state and if substantially water-free hydrogen stream is used.

The resulting reduced catalytic composite is, in accordance with the basic concept of the present invention, preferably maintained in a sulfur-free state both during its preparation and thereafter during its use in the conversion of hydrocarbons. As indicated previously, the beneficial interaction of the catalytically available nickel component with the other ingredients of the present catalytic composite is contingent upon the maintenance of the nickel moiety in a highly dispersed, readily reducible state in the carrier material. Sulfur in the form of sulfide adversely interferes with both the dispersion and reducibility of the catalytically available nickel component and consequently it is a highly preferred practice to avoid presulfiding the selectively reduced acidic multimetallic catalyst resulting from the reduction step. Once the catalyst has been exposed to hydrocarbon for a sufficient period of time to lay down a protective layer of carbon or coke on the surface thereof, the sulfur sensitivity of the resulting carbon-containing composite changes rather markedly and the presence of small amounts of sulfur can be tolerated without permanently disabling the catalyst. The exposure of the freshly reduced catalyst to sulfur can seriously damage the nickel component thereof and consequently jeopardize the superior performance characteristics associated therewith. However, once a protective layer of carbon is established on the catalyst, the sulfur deactivation effect is less permanent and sulfur can be purged therefrom by exposure to a sulfur-free hydrogen stream at a temperature of about 800.degree. to 1100.degree. F.

According to the present invention, a hydrocarbon charge stock and hydrogen are contacted with the instant acidic multimetallic catalyst in a hydrocarbon conversion zone. This contacting may be accomplished by using the catalyst in a fixed bed system, a moving bed system, a fluidized bed system, or in a batch type operation, however, in view of the danger of attrition losses of the valuable catalyst and of well-known operational advantages, it is preferred to use either a fixed bed system or a dense-phase moving bed system such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,249. It is also contemplated that the contacting step can be performed in the presence of a physical mixture of particles of the catalyst of the present invention and particles of a conventional dual-function catalyst of the prior art. In a fixed bed system, a hydrogen-rich gas and the charge stock are preheated by any suitable heating means to the desired reaction temperature and then are passed into a conversion zone containing a fixed bed of the acidic multimetallic catalyst. It is, of course, understood that the conversion zone may be one or more separate reactors with suitable means therebetween to insure that the desired conversion temperature is maintained at the entrance to each reactor. It is also important to note that the reactants may be contacted with the catalyst bed in either upward, downward, or radial flow fashion with the latter being preferred. In addition, the reactants may be in the liquid phase, a mixed liquid-vapor phase, or a vapor phase when they contact the catalyst, with best results obtained in the vapor phase.

In the case where the acidic multimetallic catalyst of the present invention is used in a reforming operation, the reforming system will typically comprise a reforming zone containing one or more fixed beds or dense-phase moving beds of the catalysts. In a multiple bed system, it is, of course, within the scope of the present invention to use the present catalyst in less than all of the beds with a conventional dual-function catalyst being used in the remainder of the beds. This reforming zone may be one or more separate reactors with suitable heating means therebetween to compensate for the endothermic nature of the reactions that take place in each catalyst bed. The hydrocarbon feed stream that is charged to this reforming system will comprise hydrocarbon fractions containing naphthenes and paraffins that boil within the gasoline range. The preferred charge stocks are those consisting essentially of naphthenes and paraffins, although in some cases aromatics and/or olefins may also be present. This preferred class includes straight run gasolines, natural gasolines, synthetic gasolines partially reformed gasolines, and the like. On the other hand, it is frequently advantageous to charge thermally or catalytically cracked gasolines or higher boiling fractions thereof. Mixtures of straight run and cracked gasolines can also be used to advantage. The gasoline charge stock may be a full boiling gasoline having an initial boiling point of from about 50.degree. to about 150.degree. F. and an end boiling point within the range of from about 325.degree. to about 425.degree. F., or may be a selected fraction thereof which generally will be a higher boiling fraction commonly referred to as a heavy naphtha--for example, a naphtha boiling in the range of C.sub.7 to 400.degree. F. In some cases, it is also advantageous to charge pure hydrocarbons or mixtures of hydrocarbons that have been extracted from hydrocarbon distillates--for example, straight-chain paraffins--which are to be converted to aromatics. It is preferred that these charge stocks be treated by conventional catalytic pretreatment methods such as hydrorefining, hydrotreating, hydrodesulfurization, etc., to remove substantially all sulfurous, nitrogenous, and water-yielding contaminants and to saturate any olefins that may be contained therein.

In other hydrocarbon conversion embodiments, the charge stock will be of the conventional type customarily used for the particular kind of hydrocarbon conversion being effected. For example, in a typical isomerization embodiment the charge stock can be a paraffinic stock rich in C.sub.4 to C.sub.8 normal paraffins, or a normal butane-rich stock, or an n-hexane-rich stock, or a mixture of xylene isomers, or an olefin-containing stock, etc. In a dehydrogenation embodiment, the charge stock can be any of the known dehydrogenatable hydrocarbons such as an aliphatic compound containing 2 to 30 carbon atoms per molecule, a C.sub.4 to C.sub.30 normal paraffin, a C.sub.8 to C.sub.12 alkylaromatic, a naphthene, and the like. In hydrocracking embodiments, the charge stock will be typically a gas oil, heavy cracked cycle oil, etc. In addition, alkylaromatics, olefins, and naphthenes can be conveniently isomerized by using the catalyst of the present invention. Likewise, pure hydrocarbons or substantially pure hydrocarbons can be converted to more valuable products by using the acidic multimetallic catalyst of the present invention in any of the hydrocarbon conversion processes, known to the art, that use a dual-function catalyst.

Since sulfur has a high affinity for nickel at hydrocarbon conversion conditions, best results are achieved in the conversion of hydrocarbons with the instant acidic multimetallic catalytic composite when the catalyst is used in a substantially sulfur-free environment. This is particularly true in the catalytic reforming embodiment of the present invention. The expression "substantially sulfur-free environment" is intended to mean that the total amount (expressed as equivalent elemental sulfur) of sulfur or sulfur-containing compounds, which are capable of producing a metallic sulfide at the reaction conditions used, entering the reaction zone containing the instant catalyst from any source is continuously maintained at an amount equivalent to less than 10 wt. ppm. of the hydrocarbon charge stock, more preferably less than 5 wt. ppm., and most preferably less than 1 wt. ppm. Since in the ordinary operation of a conventional catalytic reforming process, wherein influent hydrogen is autogenously produced, the prime source for any sulfur entering the reforming zone is the hydrocarbon charge stock, maintaining the charge stock substantially free of sulfur is ordinarily sufficient to ensure that the environment containing the catalyst is maintained in the substantially sulfur-free state. More specifically, since hydrogen is a by-product of the catalytic reforming process, ordinarily the input hydrogen stream required for the process is obtained by recycling a portion of the hydrogen-rich stream recovered from the effluent withdrawn from the reforming zone. In this typical situation, this recycle hydrogen stream will ordinarily be substantially free of sulfur if the charge stock is maintained free of sulfur. If autogenous hydrogen is not utilized, then, of course, the concept of the present invention requires that the input hydrogen stream be maintained substantially sulfur-free; that is, less than 10 vol. ppm of H.sub.2 S, preferably less than 5 vol. ppm, and most preferably less than 1 vol. ppm.

The only other possible sources of sulfur that could interfere with the performance of the instant catalyst are sulfur that is initially combined with the catalyst and/or with the plant hardware. As indicated hereinbefore, a highly preferred feature of the present acidic multimetallic catalyst is that it is maintained in a substantially sulfur-free state; therefore, sulfur released from the catalyst is not usually a problem in the present process. Hardware sulfur is ordinarily not present in a new plant; it only becomes a problem when the present process is to be implemented in a plant that has seen service with a sulfur-containing feedstream. In this latter case, the preferred practice of the present invention involves an initial pretreatment of the sulfur-containing plant in order to remove substantially all of the decomposable hardware sulfur therefrom. This can be easily accomplished by any of the techniques for stripping sulfur from hardware known to those in the art, for example, by the circulation of a substantially sulfur-free hydrogen stream through the internals of the plant at a relatively high temperature of about 800.degree. to about 1200.degree. F. until the H.sub.2 S content of the effluent gas stream drops to a relatively low level--typically, less than 5 vol. ppm. and preferably less than 2 vol. ppm. In sum, the preferred sulfur-free feature of the present invention requires that the total amount of detrimental sulfur entering the hydrocarbon conversion zone containing the hereinbefore described acidic multimetallic catalyst must be continuously maintained at a substantially low level; specifically, the total amount of sulfur must be held to a level equivalent to less than 10 wt. ppm., and preferably less than 1 wt. ppm., of the feed.

In the case where the sulfur content of the feed stream for the present process is greater than the amounts previously specified, it is, of course, necessary to treat the charge stock in order to remove the undesired sulfur contaminants therefrom. This is easily accomplished by using any one of the conventional catalytic pretreatment methods such as hydrorefining, hydrotreating, hydrodesulfurization, and the like to remove substantially all sulfurous, nitrogenous, and water-yielding contaminants from this feedstream. Ordinarily, this involves subjecting the sulfur-containing feedstream to contact with a suitable sulfur-resistant hydrorefining catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under conversion conditions selected to decompose sulfur contaminants contained therein and form hydrogen sulfide. The hydrorefining catalyst typically comprises one or more of the oxides or sulfides of the transition metals of Groups VI and VIII of the Periodic Table. A particularly preferred hydrorefining catalyst comprises a combination of a metallic component from the iron group metals of Group VIII and of a metallic component of the Group VI transition metals combined with a suitable porous refractory support. Particularly good results have been obtained when the iron group component is cobalt and/or nickel and the Group VI transition metal is molybdenum or tungsten. The preferred support for this type of catalyst is a refractory inorganic oxide of the type previously mentioned. For example, good results are obtained with a hydrorefining catalyst comprising cobalt oxide and molybdenum oxide supported on a carrier material comprising alumina and silica. The conditions utilized in this hydrorefining step are ordinarily selected from the following ranges: a temperature of about 600.degree. to about 950.degree. F., a pressure of about 500 l to about 5000 psig, a liquid hourly space velocity of about 1 to about 20 hr..sup.-1, and a hydrogen circulation rate of about 500 to about 10,000 standard cubic feet of hydrogen per barrel of charge. After this hydrorefining step, the hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and water liberated therein, are then easily removed from the resulting purified charge stock by conventional means such as a suitable stripping operation. Specific hydrorefining conditions are selected from the ranges above as a function of the amounts and kinds of the sulfur contaminants in the feedstream in order to produce a substantially sulfur-free charge stock which is then charged to the process of the present invention.

In a reforming embodiment, it is generally preferred to utilize the novel acidic multimetallic catalytic composite in a substantially water-free environment. Essential to the achievement of this condition in the reforming zone is the control of the water level present in the charge stock and the hydrogen stream which are charged to the zone. Best results are ordinarily obtained when the total amount of water entering the conversion zone from any source is held to a level less than 20 ppm. and preferably less than 5 ppm. expressed as weight of equivalent water in the charge stock. In general, this can be accomplished by careful control of the water present in the charge stock and in the hydrogen stream. The charge stock can be dried by using any suitable drying means known to the art, such as a conventional solid adsorbent having a high selectivity for water, for instance, dehydrated sodium or calcium zeolitic crystalline aluminosilicates, silica gel, activated alumina, molecular sieves, anydrous calcium sulfate, high surface area sodium, and the like adsorbents. Similarly, the water content of the charge stock may be adjusted by suitable stripping operations in a fractionation column or like device. And in some cases, a combination of adsorbent drying and distillation drying may be used advantageously to effect almost complete removal of water from the charge stock. In an especially preferred mode of operation, the charge stock is dried to a level corresponding to less than 5 wt. ppm. of H.sub.2 O equivalent. In general, it is preferred to maintain the hydrogen stream entering the hydrocarbon conversion zone at a level of about 10 vol. ppm. of water or less and most preferably about 5 vol. ppm. or less. If the water level in the hydrogen stream is too high, drying of same can be conveniently accomplished by contacting the hydrogen stream with a suitable desiccant such as those mentioned above.

In the reforming embodiment, an effluent stream is withdrawn from the reforming zone and passed through a cooling means to a separation zone, typically maintained at about 25.degree. to 150.degree. F., wherein a hydrogen-rich gas stream is separated from a high octane liquid product stream, commonly called an unstabilized reformate. When the water level in the hydrogen stream is outside the range previously specified, at least a portion of this hydrogen-rich gas stream is withdrawn from the separating zone and passed through an adsorption zone containing an adsorbent selective for water. The resultant substantially water-free hydrogen stream can then be recycled through suitable compressing means back to the reforming zone. The liquid phase from the separating zone is typically withdrawn and commonly treated in a fractionating system in order to adjust the butane concentration, thereby controlling front-end volatility of the resulting reformate.

The operating conditions utilized in the numerous hydrocarbon conversion embodiments of the present invention are in general those customarily used in the art for the particular reaction, or combination of reactions, that is to be effected. For instance, alkylaromatic, olefin, and paraffin isomerization conditions include: a temperature of about 32.degree. F. to about 100.degree. F. and preferably from about 75.degree. to about 600.degree. F.; a pressure of atmospheric to about 100 atmospheres; a hydrogen to hydrocarbon mole ratio of about 0.5:1 to about 20:1, and an LHSV (calculated on the basis of equivalent liquid volume of the charge stock contacted with the catalyst per hour divided by the volume of conversion zone containing catalyst) of about 0.2 hr..sup.-1 to 10 hr..sup.-1. Dehydrogenation conditions include: a temperature of about 700.degree. to about 1250.degree. F., a pressure of about 0.1 to about 10 atmospheres, a liquid hourly space velocity of about 1 to 40 hr..sup.-1, and a hydrogen to hydrocarbon mole ratio of about 1:1 to 20:1. Likewise, typically hydrocracking conditions include: a pressure of about 500 psig. to about 3000 psig., a temperature of about 400.degree. F. to about 900.degree. F., an LHSV of about 0.1 hr..sup.-1 to about 10 hr..sup.-1, and hydrogen circulation rates of about 1000 to 10,000 SCF per barrel of charge.

In the reforming embodiment of the present invention, the pressure utilized is selected from the range of about 0 psig. to about 1000 psig., with the preferred pressure being about 50 psig. to about 600 psig. Particularly good results are obtained at low or moderate pressure; namely, a pressure of about 100 to 450 psig. In fact, it is a singular advantage of the present invention that it allows stable operation at lower pressure than have heretofore been successfully utilized in so-called "continuous" reforming systems (i.e. reforming for periods of about 15 to about 200 or more barrels of charge per pound of catalyst without regeneration) with all platinum monometallic catalyst. In other words, the acidic multimetallic catalyst of the present invention allows the operation of a continuous reforming system to be conducted at lower pressure (i.e. 100 to about 350 psig) for about the same or better catalyst cycle life before regeneration as has been heretofore realized with conventional monometallic catalysts at higher pressure (i.e. 400 to 600 psig). On the other hand, the extraordinary activity and activity-stability characteristics of the catalyst of the present invention enables reforming conditions conducted at pressures of 400 to 600 psig. to achieve substantially increased catalyst cycle life before regeneration.

The temperature required for reforming with the instant catalyst is markedly lower than that required for a similar reforming operation using a high quality catalyst of the prior art. This significant and desirable feature of the present invention is a consequence of the extraordinary activity of the acidic multimetallic catalyst of the present invention for the octane-upgrading reactions that are preferably induced in a typical reforming operation. Hence, the present invention requires a temperature in the range of from about 800.degree. F. to about 1100.degree. F. and preferably about 900.degree. F. to about 1050.degree. F. As is well known to those skilled in the continuous reforming art, the initial selection of the temperature within this broad range is made primarily as a function of the desired octane of the product reformate considering the characteristics of the charge stock and of the catalyst. Ordinarily, the temperature then is thereafter slowly increased during the run to compensate for the inevitable deactivation that occurs to provide a constant octane product. Therefore, it is a feature of the present invention that not only is the initial temperature requirement substantially lower, but also the rate at which the temperature is increased in order to maintain a constant octane product is substantially lower for the catalyst of the present invention than for an equivalent operation with a high quality reforming catalyst which is manufactured in exactly the same manner as the catalyst of the present invention except for the inclusion of the nickel and uranium components. Moreover, for the catalyst of the present invention, the C.sub.5 + yield loss for a given temperature increase is substantially lower than for a high quality reforming catalyst of the prior art. The extraordinary activity of the instant catalyst can be utilized in a number of highly beneficial ways to enable increased performance of a catalytic reforming process relative to that obtained in a similar operation with a monometallic or bimetallic catalyst of the prior art, some of these are: (1) Octane number of C.sub.5 + product can be substantially increased without sacrificing catalyst run length. (2) The duration of the process operation (i.e. catalyst run length or cycle life) before regeneration becomes necessary can be significantly increased. (3) C.sub.5 + yield can be increased by lowering average reactor pressure with no change in catalyst run length. (4) Investment costs can be lowered without any sacrifice in cycle life by lowering recycle gas requirements thereby saving on capital cost for compressor capacity or by lowering initial catalyst loading requirements thereby saving on cost of catalyst and on capital cost of the reactors. (5) Throughput can be increased sharply at no sacrifice in catalyst cycle life if sufficient heater capacity is available.

The reforming embodiment of the present invention also typically utilizes sufficient hydrogen to provide an amount of about 1 to about 20 moles of hydrogen per mole of hydrogen entering the reforming zone, with excellent results being obtained when about 2 to about 6 moles of hydrogen are used per mole of hydrocarbon. Likewise, the liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) used in reforming is selected from the range of about 0.1 to about 10 hr..sup.-1, with a value in the range of about 1 to about 5 hr..sup.-1 being preferred. In fact, it is a feature of the present invention that it allows operations to be conducted at higher LHSV than normally can be stably achieved in a continuous reforming process with a high quality reforming catalyst of the prior art. This last feature is of immense economic significance because it allows a continuous reforming process to operate at the same throughput level with less catalyst inventory or at greatly increased throughput level with the same catalyst inventory than that heretofore used with conventional reforming catalyst at no sacrifice in catalyst life before regeneration.

The following working examples are given to illustrate further the preparation of the preferred acidic substantially sulfur-free multimetallic catalytic composite of the present invention and the use thereof in the conversion of hydrocarbons. It is understood that the examples are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

A sulfur-free alumina carrier material comprising 1/16 inch spheres is prepared by: forming an aluminum hydroxyl chloride sol by dissolving substantially pure aluminum pellets in a hydrochloric acid solution, adding hexamethylenetetramine to the resulting sol, gelling the resulting solution by dropping it into an oil bath to form spherical particles of an alumina hydrogel, aging and washing the resulting particles, and finally drying and calcining the aged and washed particles to form spherical particles of gamma-alumina containing about 0.3 wt.% combined chloride. Additional details as to this method of preparing the preferred carrier material are given in the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,314.

An aqueous acidic sulfur-free impregnation solution containing chloroplatinic acid, nickel chloride, uranyl acetate and hydrogen chloride is then prepared. The alumina carrier material is thereafter admixed with the impregnation solution. The amounts of metal reagents contained in this impregnation solution is calculated to result in a final composite containing, on an elemental basis, 0.3 wt.% platinum, 1.0 wt. % uranium, and 1.0 wt.% nickel. In order to insure uniform dispersion of the metallic components throughout the carrier material, the amount of hydrochloric acid used is about 3 wt.% of the alumina particles. This impregnation step is performed by adding the carrier material particles to the impregnation mixture with constant agitation. In addition, the volume of the solution is approximately the same as the bulk volume of the carrier material particles. The impregnation mixture is maintained in contact with the carrier material particles for a period of about 1/2 to about 3 hours at a temperature of about 70.degree. F. Thereafter, the temperature of the impregnation mixture is raised to about 225.degree. F. and the excess solution was evaporated in a period of about 1 hour. The resulting dried impregnated particles are then subjected to an oxidation treatment in a sulfur-free dry air stream at a temperature of about 930.degree. F. and a GHSV of about 500 hr..sup.-1 for about 1/2 hour. This oxidation step is designed to convert substantially all of the metallic ingredients to the corresponding oxide forms. The resulting oxidized spheres are subsequently contacted in a halogen-treating step with a sulfur-free air stream containing H.sub.2 O and HCl in a mole ratio of about 30:1 for about 2 hours at 930.degree. F. and a GHSV of about 500 hr..sup.-1 in order to adjust the halogen content of the catalyst particles to a value of about 1 wt.%. The halogen-treated spheres are thereafter subjected to a second oxidation step with a dry sulfur-free air stream at 930.degree. F. and a GHSV of 500 hr..sup.-1 for an additional period of about 1/2 hour.

The oxidized and halogen-treated catalyst particles are then subjected to a dry prereduction treatment, designed to reduce substantially all of the platinum component to the elemental metallic state while maintaining the uranium component in a positive oxidation state, by contacting them for about 1 hour with a substantially hydrocarbon-free and sulfur-free hydrogen stream containing less than 5 vol. ppm. H.sub.2 O at a temperature of about 930.degree. F., a pressure slightly above atmospheric, and a flow rate of the hydrogen stream through the catalyst particles corresponding to a GHSV of about 400 hr..sup.-1.

A sample of the resulting reduced catalyst particles is analyzed and found to contain, on an elemental basis, about 0.3 wt. % platinum, about 1.0 wt.% nickel, about 1.0 wt.% uranium, and about 1 wt.% chloride. This corresponds to an atomic ratio of uranium to platinum of 2.7:1 and to an atomic ratio of nickel to platinum of 11:1.

A portion of the spherical acidic sulfur-free multimetallic catalyst particles produced by the method described in Example I is loaded into a scale model of a continuous, fixed bed reforming plant of conventional design. In this plant a heavy Kuwait naphtha and hydrogen are continuously contacted at reforming conditions: a liquid hourly space velocity of 3.0 hr.sup.-1, a pressure of 300 psig., a hydrogen containing recycle gas to hydrocarbon mole ratio of 5:1, and a temperature sufficient to continuously produce a C.sub.5 + reformate of 100 F-1 clear. It is to be noted that these are exceptionally severe conditions.

The heavy Kuwait naphtha has an API gravity at 60.degree. F. of 60.4, an initial boiling point of 184.degree. F., a 50% boiling point of 256.degree. F., and an end boiling point of 360.degree. F. In addition, it contains about 8 vol.% aromatics, 71 vol.% paraffins, 21 vol.% naphthenes, 0.5 weight parts per million sulfur, and 5 to 8 weight parts per million water. The F-1 clear octane number of the raw stock is 40.0.

The fixed bed reforming plant is made up of a reactor containing the acidic, sulfur-free multimetallic catalyst, a hydrogen separation zone, a debutanizer column, and suitable heating, pumping, cooling, and controlling means. In this plant, a hydrogen recycle stream and the charge stock are commingled and heated to the desired temperature. The resultant mixture is then passed downflow into a reactor containing the catalyst as a fixed bed. An effluent stream is then withdrawn from the bottom of the reactor, cooled to about 55.degree. F. and passed to a separating zone wherein a hydrogen-rich and methane-rich gaseous phase separates from a liquid hydrocarbon phase. A portion of the gaseous phase is continuously passed through a high surface sodium scrubber and the resulting water-free hydrogen-containing stream recycled to the reactor in order to supply hydrogen thereto, and the excess gaseous phase over that needed for plant pressure is recovered as excess separator gas. The liquid hydrocarbon phase from the hydrogen separating zone is withdrawn therefrom and passed to a debutanizer column of conventional design wherein light ends are taken overhead as debutanizer gas and a C.sub.5 + reformate stream recovered as bottoms.

The test run is continued for a catalyst life of about 10 barrels of charge per pound of catalyst utilized, and it is determined that the activity, selectivity, and stability characteristics of the present multimetallic catalyst are vastly superior to those observed in a similar type test with a conventional all platinum commercial reforming catalyst. More specifically, the results obtained from the subject catalyst are superior to the platinum metal-containing catalyst of the prior art in the area of initial and average temperature required to make octane, average level of debutanizer gas production, average C.sub.5 + yield at octane, average rate of temperature increase necessary to maintain octane and C.sub.5 + yield decline rate.

It is intended to cover by the following claims, all changes and modifications of the above disclosure of the present invention which would be self-evident to a man of ordinary skill in the catalyst formulation art or the hydrocarbon conversion art.