Patent ID: 6313061
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: B01J,C08F

Abstract:
A method for preparing frangible catalyst support agglomerate particles which comprises:(A) dry milling inorganic oxide selected from the group consisting of SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgO, ALPO.sub.4, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, and mixtures thereof, in a manner and under conditions sufficient to form powder having an average particle size of from about 3 to about 12 microns and a moisture content of less than about 50% by weight, based on the powder weight;(B) wet milling an aqueous slurry of the dry milled inorganic oxide provided in accordance with step (A) in a manner and under conditions sufficient to further reduce the average particle size imparted by step A and to impart an average particle size of from about 2 to about 10 microns;(C) providing a slurry of the inorganic oxide wet milled in accordance with step (B) and controlling the total weight % solids, and slurry pH thereof in a manner sufficient to produce catalyst support agglomerate particles possessing the below described properties, when the slurry is spray dried; and(D) spray drying a slurry provided in accordance with step (C) having controlled weight % solids, and pH in a manner and under conditions sufficient to produce catalyst support agglomerate particles having the following properties:(i) at least 80% of the volume of the agglomerated particles smaller than the D.sub.90 of the entire agglomerate particle size distribution possesses a microspheroidal morphology;(ii) the microspheroidal support agglomerate particles possess interstitial void spaces penetrating the agglomerate surface thereby providing at least 10 channels from the agglomerate surface to the agglomerate particle interior; and(iii) the support agglomerate particles possess:(a) an average particle size in the range of about 4 to about 250 microns;(b) a surface area of from about 1 to about 1000 m.sup.2 per gram; and(c) an AQI of greater than about 10.