Mild Hydrocracking of Vacuum Gasoil over NiMo-Beta Zeolite Catalysts: The Role of the Location of the NiMo Phases and the Crystallite Size of the Zeolite

Mild hydrocracking composite catalysts based on NiMo/γ-Al2O3-Beta zeolite have been prepared and the influence of the location of the NiMo phases has been studied. A good hydrocracking activity and the highest HDS conversion was found during the hydrocracking of a vacuum gasoil with the composite catalyst where the NiMo is located on the alumina component and then mixed with the zeolite in a proportion of 1 : 1 by weight. The crystal size of the beta zeolite had a significative influence on the catalytic behaviour, being better the smaller the crystallite size is. The small crystallite beta-based catalyst displayed a higher hydrocracking activity than conventional USY and silica-alumina-based catalysts, giving a good selectivity towards middle distillates.