THERMAL CRACKING OF HEAVY HYDROCARBONS AND PRODUCTION OF LIGHT HYDROCARBONS AND HYDROGEN

摘要

PURPOSE:An improved catalyst of iron oxide which has been obtained from iron pickling waste solution is used to enable economical production of light fractions and hydrogen from heavy fraction stabaly without trouble of pulverization of catalyst, when it is charged in the reactor, for a long period of time. CONSTITUTION:Iron pickling waste is oxidatively decomposed in a fluidization furnace or spray-roasting furnace at 500-800 deg.C to give a powder of iron oxide of main particle sizes of from 0.2 to 20 microns. The iron powder has been put into market as a material for ceramics and is inexpensive and readily available. The powder is granulated and roasted to prepare the objective catalyst. The powder is preferably combined with the same or less amount of iron or steel dust and further chromium oxide and calcium oxide. The resultant catalyst is used to effect the cracking of heavy hydrocarbons into light fractions as well as the production of hydrogen by the steam-iron reaction.