naRTC 2025
Adapt to survive: How to protect catalysts in the switch to renewable feedstocks
Taco van der Maten Malvern Panalytical
There is mounting public and governmen- tal pressure on refiners to aid in the energy and material transition. One way to do this, while utilising existing resources and infra- structure, is to switch to renewable feed- stocks, such as plastic waste and used fats, oils, and greases (FOG). However, there is a catch: renewable feedstocks are frequently unpredictable in content. They often con- tain high levels of oxygen, chlorine, and sili- con, which can ‘poison’ the catalyst, raising costs, reducing the plant’s efficiency, and even forcing downtime. With the right analytical techniques, it is possible to avoid these expensive process interruptions. Malvern Panalytical’s Epsilon 1 and Aeris instruments provide rapid, relia- ble, reproducible insights into the catalysis and feedstock materials, helping to protect the catalysts and bottom line.
DID YOu know? The Epsilon 1 and Aeris instruments provide rapid, reliable, reproducible insights
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Analyse feedstock with Epsilon 1 ULS Another method to protect the plant from unexpected downtime is to analyse the feed- stock for impurities. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a good solution. Like XRD, XRF is a non- destructive technique; however, instead of revealing crystalline structure, it helps with elemental analysis. XRF works by irradiating a solid or liquid sample with X-rays and meas- uring the energy and intensity of the fluores- cent X-rays emitted by the sample, each of which are distinct to different elements. One of the challenges of elemental analy- sis in oil refining is that even traces of harm- ful elements like sulphur and chlorine can degrade the effectiveness of the catalyst. To truly protect the catalyst, a highly sen- sitive instrument is needed. The Epsilon 1 Ultra-Low Sulfur (ULS) XRF is specifically designed for ULS analysis, as well as for detecting trace elements of contaminants such as chlorine, silicon, nickel, and vana- dium. The Epsilon 1 is ISO 13032 compli- ant, meaning that it adheres to the most stringent international test method for sul- phur content measurement in fuels. Empowered with this deep insight into the feedstock, it is possible to take action to adapt the feed, such as pretreating the feed- stock to dechlorinate the materials. These insights could also be used to tailor the catal- ysis materials to the incoming resources. This could involve choosing a catalyst that is more chlorine-resistant, alloying or coating the catalyst materials to protect them from poisoning or, where possible, controlling the temperature of the reactions to lessen the degenerative effect on the catalyst. Catalyse change in the oil industry with enhanced analysis Catalyst poisoning is a risk when switch- ing to renewable feedstocks, but it does not have to be an insurmountable obsta- cle. With sensitive analytics like the Aeris XRD and Epsilon 1 ULS instruments, it is possible to spot and stop catalyst poison- ing before it costs time and money, protect- ing the catalyst, preventing downtime, and promoting more sustainable oil production.
Two five-minute scans on Aeris of two different metal-organic framework (MOF) catalysis indicate (green arrows) a processing parameter is affecting the crystallinity phase purity
beam through a powder, solid, or liquid sam- ple and measure the signal from a wide array of angles to calculate information such as crystallite size and crystal phase. The ben- efits of XRD over other analysis types are that it is non-destructive and very quick to produce reliable results. The Aeris XRD instrument can yield reproducible results in as little as 10 minutes without needing a dedicated technician. The Aeris XRD instrument can be used to analyse the structural integrity of the clays and binders in the catalyst and evaluate the overall content of the catalyst materials. This can help to ensure consistency in per- formance. The Aeris instrument can also deliver insights into the molecular structure of materials such as zeolite in the hydro- cracking and refining processes. It helps to identify any structural distortions that could affect the catalyst’s acidity, silicon and sodium tolerance, and activity reduction. Factors like these are important to monitor because they affect the selectivity and reac- tion rates of the catalyst. Monitoring them can help detect catalyst poisoning before it grinds operations to a halt, allowing time to swap in fresh catalysis materials or develop more robust ones.
are highly variable and contain a high con- centration of impurities such as halides, sil- icon phosphorus, alkali metals like sodium and potassium, and other metals like mag- nesium, calcium, nickel, and vanadium. The presence of these impurities has a degen- erative effect on refinery catalysts, similar to the well-known nickel and vanadium cata- lyst poisoning effect. Chlorine is another element that can be poisonous to catalysts, even in trace amounts. Like nickel and vanadium, chlo- rine can block the catalyst’s active sites dur- ing processes such as hydrocracking. This leads to reduced performance and even total inactivity of the catalyst if the situa- tion goes untreated. To prevent this from happening and to access the benefits of renewable feedstocks, it is essential to gain enhanced insight into both the catalyst and feedstock materials. Strengthen catalysis with Aeris XRD One way to protect your processes is by strengthening the catalyst itself. This requires a detailed understanding of its molecular structure, crystallinity, and phase composition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) can help here. XRD techniques direct an X-ray
Renewable feedstocks present an opportunity for refiners
The key drivers for the incorporation of renewable feedstocks into oil refineries are global regulations like the Renewable Fuel Standard in the US and the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. These regulations leg- islate targets for oil producers when it comes to lowering their carbon emissions and producing fuels derived from renewa- ble resources. Oil refineries must now move towards more sustainable practices or risk falling foul of legislators. However, alongside regulatory pressure, renewable feedstocks also represent oppor- tunities for profit. Many governments offer tax credits and subsidies for producing bio- diesel or diesel made from renewable feed- stocks. For example, in the US, the Biodiesel Tax Credit is $1 per gallon. Biowaste like FOG can be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which can earn you US tax credits thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. In the EU, the Biofuels Program offers subsidies to increase the production of fuels derived from waste and residues. Pyrolysis using waste plastic also serves a dual pur- pose: addressing the depletion of fossil fuel resources and reducing the amount of plas- tic waste that goes to landfill or, even worse, ends up poisoning the oceans. In short, switching to renewable feed- stocks can help maintain compliance, pro- vide financial benefits, and even help clean up the planet. However, there are obstacles in the way. Catalysts under attack Although renewable feedstocks can pro- duce good-quality oils, the process of refining them can take a toll on equipment because they have a different elemental make-up compared to fossil fuels. Typically, FOG-derived feedstocks are relatively sta- ble in terms of their composition but contain around 8-12% oxygen, plus impurities such as sodium, potassium, silicon, and phos- phorus. Waste plastics, on the other hand,
Contact: taco.van.der.maten@malvernpanalytical.com
With enhanced analytics, it is possible to spot and stop catalyst poisoning before it costs time and money
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