Hydrogenation Catalysts

Platinum Group Metals (PGM) fixed bed

Our innovations for hydrogenation units

E 15x S: Be able to process less pure feedstocks with BASFs sulfur resistant catalyst family.

BASF's innovative sulfur resistant catalyst family E 15x S was developed to enable our customers to hydrogenate demanding feedstocks containing high sulfur impurities. BASF investigated the nature of sulfur components and the interaction with conventional palladium-based hydrogenation catalysts. Based on our findings we developed a specialized catalyst formulation and preparation method to increase the tolerance for high amounts of sulfur and therefore maximize the life-time of the precious metal catalysts in less pure feedstocks. This enables customers to get the most out of their precious metal and accordingly keep it at the lowest level and save costs.

The need to process feedstocks with higher amounts of impurities is increasing due to high costs for or availability of pure feedstock on the market. BASFs strong R&D developed a specialized catalyst solution, which allows hydrogenation of feedstocks with high sulfur content without additional investment into costly palladium.

Need to process impure feedstock is increasing
Sulfur impurities are the main challenge, especially for pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation
Its high sulfur content shorten cycle- and lifetime of conventional palladium catalysts
BASFs R&D developed a specialized new carrier system suitable to process high demanding feedstocks without additional investment into precious metal
Commercial references available

E 15x L: Reduce the cost-of-fill and CO2 footprint with high activity despite reduced precious metal in reactors.

BASF developed a new process to enable access to mechanically stable and uniform ultra low-density Al₂O₃spheres. These alumina spheres are manufactured on a dedicated production line at our plant in Germany. The low-density Al₂O₃ spheres serve as a versatile platform for precious metal hydrogenation catalysts. Especially its usage in applications as C3 selective hydrogenation, C4 selective hydrogenation and selective hydrogenation of pyrolysis gasoline have been successfully proven, but do not limit the use of this new catalyst series.

The low-density catalysts with its high metal efficiency minimize the precious metal investment significantly. These reduced active mass in the reactor is compensated by an enhanced hydrogenation activity. Special egg-shell coating techniques liberate a high number of precious metal clusters to the surface and provide contact to the processed feed.

With the new low-density catalyst family, we are improving the efficiency of the active precious metal content in the reactors of our customers.

Low density Al₂O₃ carriers produced in Germany as a versatile and powerful platform for precious metal catalysts
Maximum utilization of precious metal due to enhanced activity by defined egg-shell coating
Outstanding activity, high crush strength, and low attrition values
Economical and ecological improvement for all units

Want to learn more about E 15x S and E 15x L? Get in touch with us today! We look forward to meeting you at the 2024 Annual Meeting of EPCA in Berlin from October 7-10.

Ahmet Mercan

Global Marketing Manager, Hydrogenation & Specialty Catalysts

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Applications for our fixed bed catalysts

For decades, BASF precious catalyst solutions have been well recognized for their long-term stability even under challenging reaction conditions. Our precious fixed bed catalysts can be used for:

PGM fixed bed catalysts are used for:

Selective hydrogenation of C2, C3, C4 and pyrolysis gas streams from steam cracker
Full hydrogenation of C3, C4 and C5 cuts.
Selective hydrogenation of C5 and C9 resins.
Purification of terephthalic acid (PTA)
Dearomatization of hydrocarbons
Alpha methyl-styrene hydrogenation
Purification of monochloroacetic acid (MCAA)
Hydrogenation of anthraquinone for H₂O₂production
HPPO waste water treatment
Reductive amination
Others

BASF also offers a "full loop" of precious metals services to recycling your precious resources quickly at the end of catalyst life cycle.

Products available

Building on our core competencies in precious metals and catalysis, BASF offers a robust portfolio of PGM (Platinum Group Metals) chemical catalysts for use in a variety of industrial catalysis applications. Our innovative PGM catalysts are manufactured at our ISO 9001 certified manufacturing facilities located at Mangalore, India, Seneca, South Carolina, USA, and Rome, Italy.

Spheres

E 15X, E 15X light, H0-44, H0-4X light, H0-33 light and H0-28 Catalyst Series

0.15-0.75 wt% Pd loading on alumina spheres
Catalysts with highest precious metal efficiency are applicable in fixed reactor beds in gas, liquid and trickle bed operation mode
Applicable for selective and full hydrogenation of C2, C3, C4 and pyrolysis gas streams as well as H₂O₂ production

E 544 Catalyst Series

1.0 wt% Pd loading on alumina spheres, new catalyst series with average diameters of 3.2 mm and 1.6 mm
Applicable for selective hydrogenation of C5 and C9 resins
The series is characterized by an excellent balance of hydrogenation activity and high metal efficiency

Pd 0152 and Pd 0155

BASF ReDar catalysts with proprietary composition of precious metals to ensure the efficient hydrogenation of aromatics from e.g. refinery streams or white oils already at low temperatures
Our catalysts with high precious metal efficiency are applicable in fixed reactor beds in gas, liquid and trickle bed operation mode
Different to bickel-based catalyst solutions, sulfur impurities in the feed do not lead to a permanent deactivation of the catalyst. Hence, significant longer catalyst lifetime can be achieved

Extrudates

H0-31 and H0-41 Catalyst Series

0.2-0.3 wt% Pd loading on alumina extrudates
Catalysts with highest precious metal efficiency are applicable in fixed reactor beds ingas-liquid trickle bed operation mode
Applicable for selective hydrogenation of C3 and C4 cuts

H0-12 Catalyst Series

0.3-0.5 wt% Pd loading on alumina extrudates
Catalysts with highest precious metal efficiency
Applied in C4 alkyne rich stream selective hydrogenation

Pd/Al 5637 Catalyst Series

0.3-0.5 wt% Pd loading on alumina extrudates
Catalysts with highest precious metal efficiency
Applicable for alpha methyl styrene hydrogenation
Applicable for PO process technology

Tablets

Pd/AT Catalyst Series

0.5-2.0 wt% Pd loading on alumina tablets
Catalysts with highest precious metal efficiency are applicable in fixed reactor beds in gas- liquid- and trickle bed operation mode
Applicable for toothbrush device

Carbon Granules

PTA Catalyst Series

0.40-0.50 wt% Pd loading on carbon
Well proven catalysts for PTA purification with a higher selectivity towards the preferred product 4-HMBA.

Pd/CG Catalyst Series

0.50-2.00 wt% Pd loading on carbon
Highly acidic resistance to minimize precious metal losses during operation and to enable long catalyst lifetimes
Applicable for producing monochloroacetic acid and can be applied for fluorocarbons

Ru Catalyst Series

0.7-2.0 wt% Ru loading on carbon
Applicable for selective hydrogenation in fine chemicals