Multimetallic anionic clays and derived products for SOx removal in the fluid catalytic cracking process

A process for producing multimetallic anionic clays having the formula

• [MgxAlyFez(OH)2](An−(y+z)/n)[CeO2]p.mH2O
• wherein Mg, Al and Fe are metals that constitute layers of the clay while Ce, as an oxidant promoter, is highly dispersed throughout the solid in the form of cerium oxide;
• An− denotes an anion located between the layers composed of the metal cations;
• n represents the interlaminar anion's negative electronic charge that may be from −1 to −8;
• m is the molecules of water present as hydration water or as water present in the interlaminar region and can be from 0 to 2, the process comprising the steps of
• (a) dissolving a water soluble divalent and/or trivalent metal precursor maintaining a water to solid mass ratio between 0.1-100, to 1) provide the necessary amount of divalent and/or trivalent cations for the formation of the multimetallic anionic clay, and 2) to supply the necessary characteristics to the reaction medium in order to facilitate the reaction between the soluble and insoluble precursors.
• (b) incorporating a cerium salt together with the water soluble metallic precursors in (a),
• (c) adding to the resulting solution of step (b) a water insoluble divalent and/or trivalent metal precursors in powder form, slurry form, or combination thereof, homogenizing the reaction mixture by mechanical agitation from 100 to 1000 rpm, at a temperature between 10 and 100° C., from 0.5 to 3 h, at atmospheric pressure in air atmosphere or under another gas stream to produce a gel,
• (d) dispersing in acidified water containing a weak acid, one, two or more divalent metallic precursors in powder form, stirring the mixture at a rate in the range 100-1000 rpm, for 0.5-3 h, and at 10-100° C., to obtain a suspension,
• (e) blending the gel obtained in step (c) with the suspension of step (d) maintaining the pH of the mixture between 6 and 12, and the temperature between 80 and 200° C., stirring the mixture at a rate of 100-1000 rpm, while the mixture passes through an in-line high shear mixer for 1-10 h,
• (f) spray drying the mixture to produce the multimetallic anionic clays in the form of microspheroidal particles,
• (g) calcining the microspheres produced in step (f) at 300 to 1000° C. for 1-24 h in the presence of air, oxygen, nitrogen, or combinations thereof to produce a solid solution composed of a mixture of multimetallic oxides.