LAUSR

Samples of a commercial hydrotreating catalyst with different initial arsenic content were used in the study light cycle oil (LCO) feed in a hydrotreating unit operating at high pressure (350 °C, 3 MPa) to evaluate the conversion and selectivity of the catalyst in the presence of arsenic. It was determined that arsenic in the catalyst modifies the textural properties and has the strongest influence on the conversion of the HDS reaction. For the first time, evidence is provided that the arsenic replaces cobalt in CoMoS phase. The incorporation of As is proposed to occur in “edge” sites of the molybdenum sulfide disfavoring the C–S cleavage during the HDS reaction, while hydrogenation sites would be favored.