Development of industrialized Ru/MCM-48 and Ru/HMOR-based catalysts for waste tire pyrolysis

The demands of light olefins are continuously increased because each of them is one of the Seven Sisters, which are the major raw materials of petrochemical industry. The light olefins can be produced by the oxidative dehydrogenation of alkane, the steam cracking of parafinic hydrocarbon, and the fluid catalytic cracking of heavy oils. This work developed an industrial catalyst of catalytic pyrolysis waste tire for producing light olefins. The industrial catalysts consisted of various combinations of (1) the active component, either Ru/MCM-48 or Ru/HMOR, (2) matrixes such as kaolin, bentonite, montmorillonite, or talcum, and (3) the binder (a- alumina). The study on Ru/MCM-48 based extrudates revealed that the combination; 15% of Ru/MCM-48, 75% of the matrix, and 10% of the binder, was the appropriate composition to produce the highest amount of light olefins. For Ru/HMOR based extrudates, the appropriate composition was 10% of Ru/HMOR, 80% of kaolin, and 10% of a-alumina. The particles of an active component usually generate heat which causes over-cracking. A matrix in the catalyst then helps to spread the heat from the active component in order to prevent over-cracking. In addition, the study of various types of matrix found that bentonite and talc were the best matrixes and heat dissipaters. They help improving the selectivity of light olefins in the gas product.