# US 2014/0155501 A1 · Process for preparing a cobalt - containing fischer tropsch catalyst

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- Number: US 2014/0155501 A1
- Document ID: US20140155501A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/130,287
- Filed: 2012-08-31
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-21
- Assignees: Sasol Technology (Proprietary) Limited
- Inventors: Hendrik Van Rensburg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155501A1

## CPC

- B01J 23/8913: {Cobalt and noble metals}
- B01J 23/75: Cobalt
- B01J 37/0205: {in several steps}
- B01J 37/024: {Multiple impregnation or coating}
- B01J 37/088: {Decomposition of a metal salt}
- B01J 37/14: with gases containing free oxygen
- B01J 37/18: with gases containing free hydrogen
- C07C 1/043: {characterised by the composition}
- B01J 21/12: Silica and alumina
- B01J 37/0213: {Preparation of the impregnating solution}
- C10G 2/332: {of the iron-group}
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES

## Abstract

A process for preparing a cobalt-containing hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst includes calcining an initial catalyst precursor comprising a catalyst support supporting a cobalt compound, by heat treating the initial catalyst precursor under non-reducing conditions in order to decompose the cobalt compound and/or to cause the cobalt compound to react with oxygen, thereby to obtain a calcined initial catalyst precursor. A cobalt compound is introduced onto and/or into the calcined initial catalyst precursor so that the calcined initial catalyst precursor supports this cobalt compound thereby obtaining a subsequent catalyst precursor. The subsequent catalyst precursor is directly subjected to reduction conditions to activate the subsequent catalyst precursor, thereby to obtain a cobalt-containing hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for preparing a cobalt-containing hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst, which process includes
calcining an initial catalyst precursor comprising a catalyst support supporting a cobalt compound, by heat treating the initial catalyst precursor under non-reducing conditions in order to decompose the cobalt compound and/or to cause the cobalt compound to react with oxygen, thereby to obtain a calcined initial catalyst precursor;
introducing a cobalt compound onto and/or into the calcined initial catalyst precursor so that the calcined initial catalyst precursor supports this cobalt compound thereby obtaining a subsequent catalyst precursor; and
directly subjecting the subsequent catalyst precursor to reduction conditions without first subjecting it to heat treatment under oxidation conditions which cause oxidation of the supported cobalt compound or decomposition of the cobalt compound, to activate the subsequent catalyst precursor, thereby to obtain a cobalt-containing hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, which includes preparing the initial catalyst precursor by introducing the cobalt compound onto and/or into the catalyst support.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the calcination of the initial catalyst precursor is carried out under oxidation conditions, at a temperature above 95° C. but not above 400° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the cobalt compound that is introduced onto and/or into the calcined initial catalyst precursor is the same as the cobalt compound of the initial catalyst precursor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process according to claim 4, wherein the cobalt compound is Co(NO3)2.6H2O.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the introduction of the cobalt compound onto and/or into the calcined initial catalyst precursor is by slurry phase impregnation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process according to claim 6, wherein the slurry phase impregnation is carried out at a sub-atmospheric pressure below 85 kPa(a), and at a temperature above 25° C. but not above 95° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The process according to claim 6, wherein the slurry phase impregnation is followed by partial drying of the impregnated calcined initial catalyst precursor, at a drying temperature above 25° C. and at a sub-atmospheric pressure below 85 kPa(a).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein subjecting the subsequent catalyst precursor to reduction conditions includes contacting the subsequent catalyst precursor with a reducing gas, thereby to activate the subsequent catalyst precursor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the introduction of the cobalt compound onto and/or into the calcined initial catalyst precursor is by impregnation comprising forming a mixture of the cobalt compound, a liquid carrier for the cobalt compound, and the calcined initial catalyst precursor, and drying the resultant impregnated calcined initial catalyst precursor at a temperature above 25° C., to obtain the subsequent catalyst precursor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A process according to claim 10, wherein subjecting the subsequent catalyst precursor to reduction conditions includes contacting the subsequent catalyst precursor with a reducing gas, thereby to activate the subsequent catalyst precursor, with the subsequent catalyst precursor being at about the drying temperature when the contacting thereof with the reducing gas is commenced.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

A process according to claim 9, wherein the reducing gas is hydrogen or a hydrogen containing gas.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

A process according to claim 9, wherein the contacting of the subsequent catalyst precursor with the reducing gas is effected by causing the reducing gas to flow through a bed of particles of the subsequent catalyst precursor.

### Claim 14

(canceled)

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A process for producing hydrocarbons, the process comprising preparing a cobalt-containing hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst according to the process of claim 1; and contacting hydrogen with carbon monoxide at a temperature above 100° C. and at a pressure of at least 10 bar in the presence of the cobalt-containing hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst, thereby producing hydrocarbons in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process.

### Claim 16

(canceled)

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

A process according to claim 11, wherein the contacting of the subsequent catalyst precursor with the reducing gas is effected by causing the reducing gas to flow through a bed of particles of the subsequent catalyst precursor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

A process according to claim 11, wherein the reducing gas is hydrogen or a hydrogen containing gas.