REACTIVATION OF SPENT CRACKING CATALYST

Abstract: A spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition is reactivated by a process comprising the steps of contacting the catalyst composition with a solution of a suitable ammonium compound (preferably an aqueous solution of NH₄NO₃) and thereafter contacting the ammonium-exchanged cracking catalyst composition with a suitable fluorine compound (preferably a aqueous solution of NH₄F). A catalytic cracking process employs the reactivated cracking catalyst composition.

Description: Background of the Invention This invention relates to a method of reactivating spent zeolite-containing cracking catalysts by sequential treatment with suitable compounds. Methods of rejuvenating deactivated zeolite-containing cracking catalysts are known and have been disclosed in the patent literature, e.g., in U.S. Patents 4,559,131, 4,500,422 and 3,684,738. US 4,055,482 discloses a process for rejuvenating crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite-containing catalysts which have become partially deactivated by use in a hydro-cracking process. The used or deactivated catalyst is treated with ion-containing solution, for example, ammonium ions, amine ions and the like, at a pH of from 0.5 to about 9, such that the alkali metal content of the catalyst is substantially reduced. However, there is an ever present need to develop new, more effective and/or efficient methods of reactivating spent zeolite-containing cracking catalysts. Summary of the Invention It is an object of this invention to provide a multi-step process for treating a spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition under such conditions as to enhance its cracking activity. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention and the appended claims. In accordance with this invention, a process for reactivating a spent cracking catalyst composition is provided as defined in the claims. The process comprises the steps of: (a) contacting a spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition (at least a portion of which has previously been used in a cracking process and has thereby lost some of its initial cracking activity, i.e., its cracking activity before its use in the cracking process) with a solution of an ammonium compound other than ammonium fluoride, under such conditions as to enhance the cracking activity of said catalyst composition, (as measured by MAT conversion in accordance with ASTM method D 3907 employing a catalyst composition which has been dried and activated by calcination); (b) at least partially (preferably substantially) separating the catalyst composition having enhanced cracking activity obtained in step (a) from said solution used in step (a); (c) contacting (treating) the at least partially separated cracking catalyst composition having undergone steps (a) and (b) with an aqueous solution comprising a flourine compound under such conditions as to enhance the cracking activity, as measured by the method recited in step (a), of the catalyst composition having undergone steps (a) and (b); and (d) heating the reactivated cracking catalyst composition obtained in step (c) under said conditions as to obtain a dried reactivated catalyst composition. In a preferred embodiment, the solution used in step (a) is a solution comprising water and ammonium nitrate. In another preferred embodiment, the fluorine compound used in step (c) is ammonium fluoride, more preferably dissolved in water. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solution used in step (c) is an aqueous solution comprising about 0.3 to about 2 mol/l N₄F. A catalytic cracking process is demonstrated comprising the step of contacting a hydrocarbon containing feed stream with a zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition, under such cracking conditions as to obtain at least one normally liquid (i.e., liquid at 25°C and 0.1 MPa (1 atm.)) hydrocarbon containing product stream having a lower initial boiling point and higher API gravity than said hydrocarbon-containing feed stream, wherein at least a portion of said zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition is a reactivated spent catalyst composition having undergone steps (a) through (d), as defined above. Detailed Description of the Invention Any spent zeolite-containing catalyst composition, at least a portion of which composition which has been used in a catalytic cracking process, can be used as starting material in step (a) of this invention. The term "spent", as used herein, implies that at least a portion of the zeolite-containing catalyst composition employed in step (a) has been used in a process for catalytically cracking hydrocarbon-containing oils, in particular those containing also sulfur and metal (Ni, V) impurities, and has then been regenerated by stripping of adhered oil from the catalyst (such as by steam-stripping) and subsequent heating in an oxidizing gas atmosphere (such as air) so as to burn off coke deposits on the catalyst composition. The spent catalyst composition used in the process of this invention can contain any portion of such regenerated catalyst composition, ranging from 100% to about 10 weight-% (i.e., containing 0% to about 90 weight-% fresh, unused zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition). The term "spent catalyst composition" encompasses equilibrium cracking catalysts, which are commonly employed in commercial cracking operations and generally comprise a physical blend of regenerated used catalyst composition and fresh (unused) cracking catalyst composition. An equilibrium catalyst generally comprises a mixture of catalyst particles of various ages, i.e., a portion of the equilibrium catalyst particles has passed through a varying number of cracking regeneration cycles, while a small portion of the equilibrium catalyst particles is fresh (unused) cracking catalyst composition. Generally the reactivation process is applied to spent cracking catalyst compositions, the cracking activity of which has dropped to unacceptably low levels (i.e., too low to accomplish satisfactory cracking of feed oils). The zeolite component of the spent zeolite-containing cracking composition of this invention can be any natural or synthetic crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite which exhibits cracking activity. Non-limiting examples of such zeolites are faujasite, chabazite, mordenite, offretite, erionite, Zeolon, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite L, zeolite ZSM-5, and the like (including other commercial ZSM zeolites), and mixtures thereof. Additional examples of suitable zeolites are listed in U.S. Patent 4,158,621. The term "zeolite", as used herein, includes zeolites from which a portion of Al has been removed from the crystalline framework, zeolites which have been ion-exchanged with rare earth metal or ammonium or by other conventional ion-exchange methods, essentially aluminum-free silica polymorphs, such as silicalite, chromia silicates, ferrosilicates, borosilicates, and the like, as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,556,749. Generally the zeolite component of the spent cracking catalyst composition is dispersed in a suitable solid refractory inorganic matrix material, such as alumina, silica, silica-alumina (presently preferred), aluminum phosphate, magnesium oxide, mixtures of two or more of the above-listed materials, and the like. The preparation of such zeolite/matrix cracking catalyst compositions is well known and is not a critical feature of this invention. Generally, the surface area (measured by nitrogen adsorption substantially in accordance with the BET method of Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) of the spent zeolite/matrix cracking catalyst composition used in step (a) is in the range of from about 100 to about 800 m²/g. Generally, the weight ratio of zeolite to matrix material in the spent cracking catalyst composition is in the range of from about 1:20 to about 1:1. The spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition employed in step (a) of the process of the invention contains metal impurities (generally as oxides), such as oxides of Ni, V, Fe, Sb, Cu, Na, and the like. Each of these metal impurities can be present in amounts ranging from traces (about 0.01 weight-%) to about 1.0 weight-% (expressed as metal oxide). These impurities in spent cracking catalyst compositions have generally been absorbed from the oil feed in a previous cracking process, however, the origin of these metallic impurities is not believed to be a critical feature of this invention. Any suitable ammonium compound other than ammonium fluoride can be used as solute in the solution employed in step (a) of this invention. Non-limiting examples of suitable ammonium compounds are: NH₄NO₃ (presently preferred), NH₄Cl, NH₄HSO₄, (NH₄)₂SO₄, NH₄HCO₃, (NH₄)₂HPO₄, NH₄ acetate, NH₄ oxalate, NH₄ hydroxide; (NH₃R)NO₃ (wherein R is an alkyl or cycloalkyl group having from 1-10 carbon atoms per molecule), (NH₃R)Cl, (NH₃R)HSO₄, and the like; (NH₂R₂)NO₃, (NH₂R₂)Cl, (NH₂R₂)HSO₄, and the like; (NHR₃)NO₃, (NHR₃)Cl, (NHR₃)HSO₄, and the like; (NR₄)NO₃, (NR₄)Cl, (NR₄)HSO₄, and the like; and mixtures of the above ammonium compounds. It is understood that the ammonium compound must be sufficiently soluble in the solvent to be effective in step (a). The solution employed in step (a) of the process can contain any suitable solvent which dissolves an amount of the ammonium compound sufficient to be effective in step (a). Non-limiting solvents are water (preferred), methanol, ethanol, propanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, mixtures of the above, and the like. Any suitable concentration of the ammonium compound in the solution of step (a) can be employed. Generally the concentration of the ammonium compound is in the range of from about 0.01 to about 5 mol/l, preferably from about 0.1 to about 1 mol/l. Any suitable ratio of solution to spent zeolite-containing catalyst composition can be employed in step (a). Generally, the ratio of number of grams of spent catalyst composition to number of liters of solution is in the range of from about 1:1 to about 1000:1, preferably from about 10:1 to about 100:1. Generally, the ratio of the number of grams of spent catalyst to the number of moles of dissolved ammonium compound in step (a) is in the range of from about 1:1 to about 1000:1, preferably from about 10:1 to about 100:1. The contacting of the spent zeolite-containing catalyst composition and the solution of the ammonium compound in step (a) can be carried out in any suitable manner. It can be done as a batch process in a vessel, preferably with agitation. Or it can be done continuously, such as by passing a solution of the ammonium compound through a column filled with a spent catalyst composition. Any suitable time of contact between solution and spent catalyst composition can be employed, generally from about 0.5 to about 10 hours (preferably about 1-4 hours). Any suitable temperature can be employed in step (a), generally from about 10°C to about 100°C (preferably about 80-95°C). Any suitable means for at least partially (preferably substantially) separating the spent catalyst composition which has been treated in step (a) from the solution used in step (a) can be employed in step (b). Non-limiting examples of suitable solid/liquid separation means are filtration, centrifugation, settling and subsequent draining or decantation of the liquid, and the like. Preferably, the at least partially separated catalyst composition is dried so as to substantially remove adhered solvent in particular water therefrom. Preferred drying conditions comprise a temperature of about 80-120°C, at atmospheric pressure conditions, and a drying time of about 0.5-10 hours. Optionally, the at least partially (preferably substantially) separated catalyst composition is washed with a suitable liquid (e.g., water), preferably after the separation step (b) and before the above-described drying step. Treatment step (c) can be carried out with any suitable, effective fluorine compound. Non-limiting examples of suitable fluorine compounds are NH₄F (preferred), NH₄HF₂, HF, NH₄BF₄, AlF₃, NH₄AlF₄, LaF₃, CeF₃, CeF₄, and other lanthanide fluorides, NH₃RF (wherein R is an alkyl or cycloalkyl radical having from 1-10 carbon atoms per molecule), NH₂R₂F, NHR₃F, NR₄F, RF (such as ethyl fluoride, and the like), and mixture of the above. The fluorine compound can be a gas or a liquid or a solid. Preferably, the fluorine compound employed in step (c) is a solid fluoride, more preferably NH₄F, dissolved in a suitable solvent (more preferably water or an aliphatic alcohol having from 1-8 carbon atoms per molecule). In the preferred embodiment, a solution of a fluorine compound (more preferably NH₄F) in water having a concentration of about 0.3-2 mol/l (more preferably about 0.8-1.2 mol/l) of the fluorine compound is employed. Preferably, the ratio of number of millimoles of the fluorine compound to the number of grams of the at least partially separated (and preferably dried) NH₄-exchanged catalyst composition (having undergone steps a and b) is in the range of from about 0.01:1 to about 10:1, more preferably from about 0.2:1 to about 1:1. When a solution of the fluorine compound is employed, the ratio of the number of cubic centimeters of solution to the number of grams of at least partially separated (and preferably dried) NH₄-exchanged catalyst composition is in the range from about 0.04:1 to about 5:1, preferably from about 0.2:1 to about 1:1. Any suitable temperature, contact time, and other contacting features can be employed in step (c). Preferred temperature/time conditions in step (c) are the same as those in step (a). Preferably, step (c) is carried out with agitation, either as a continuous process or as a batch process. Any heating conditions can be employed in step (d). Preferably, the catalyst composition which has undergone treatment steps (a), (b) and (c) is heated at a temperature in the range of from about 80 to about 700°C, preferably from about 450 to about 550°C. The heating time preferably is in the range of from about 0.1 to about 10 hours (more preferably 1-3 hours). Pressure conditions can be atmospheric (i.e., about 1 atm) or subatmospheric or superatmospheric. Preferably the heating step (d) is carried out in an oxidizing gas atmosphere, more preferably in a free oxygen containing gas such as air. However, an inert gas atmosphere can also be employed. It is within the scope of this invention to carry out heating step (d) in two substeps: first substantially drying the catalyst composition (preferably at about 80-120°C for about 0.5-5 hours), and thereafter calcining it (preferably at about 450-550°C for about 0.5-5 hours). The reactivated catalyst composition obtained in step (d) can be used in any catalytic cracking process, i.e., a process for catalytically cracking hydrocarbon-containing oil feedstocks, in any suitable cracking reactor (e.g., in a FCC reactor or in a Thermofor moving bed reactor). The reactivated catalyst composition obtained in step (d) can be used alone, or can be mixed with fresh (unused) zeolite-containing catalyst composition for use in cracking processes. The hydrocarbon-containing feed stream for the cracking process can be any suitable feedstock. Generally the feed has an initial boiling point (ASTM D 1160) in excess of about 204°C (400°F), preferably a boiling range of from 204 to 649°C (400° to 1200°F), more preferably a range of from 260 to 593°C (500° to 1100°F), measured at atmospheric pressure conditions. The density (API gravity) (measured at 16°C (60°F)) generally is in the range of from 0.824 to 1.036 g/cm³ (5 to 40), preferably from 0.849 to 0.999 g/cm³ (10 to 35). Frequently these feedstocks contain Ramsbottom carbon residue (ASTM D 524; generally about 0.1-20 weight-%), sulfur (generally about 0.1-5 weight-%), nitrogen (generally about 0.05-2 weight-%), nickel (generally about 0.05-30 parts by weight per million parts of feed, abbreviated ppm) and vanadium (generally about 0.1-50 ppm). Non-limiting examples of suitable feedstocks are light gas oils, heavy gas oils, vacuum gas oils, cracker recycle oils (cycle oils), residua (distillation bottoms fractions), and hydrotreated residua (e.g., hydrotreated in the presence of Ni, Co, Mo-promoted alumina catalysts), coal pyrolyzates, products from extraction of coal, products from liquefaction of coal, products from extraction or pyrolysis of tar sand, shale oils, heavy fractious of shale oils, and the like. The presently most preferred feedstocks are heavy gas oils and hydrotreated residua. Any suitable reactor can be used for the catalytic cracking process. Generally a fluidized-bed catalytic cracking (FCC) reactor (preferably containing one or more risers) or a moving-bed catalytic cracking reactor (e.g., a Thermofor catalytic cracker) is employed, preferably a FCC riser cracking unit. Examples of such FCC cracking units are described in U.S. Patents 4,377,470 and 4,424,116. Generally a catalyst regeneration unit (for removal of coke deposits) is combined with the FCC cracking unit, as is shown in the above-cited patents. Specific operating conditions of the cracking operation depend greatly on the type of feed, the type and dimensions of the cracking reactor and the oil feed rate. Examples of operating conditions are described in the above-cited patents and in many other publications. In an FCC operation, generally the weight ratio of catalyst composition to oil feed (i.e., hydrocarbon-containing feed) ranges from about 2:1 to about 10:1, the contact time between oil feed and catalyst is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 2.0 seconds and the cracking temperature is in the range of from 427 to 649°C (800° to 1200°F). Generally steam is added with the oil feed to the FCC reactor so as to aid in the dispersion of the oil as droplets. Generally the weight ratio of steam to oil feed is in the range of from about 0.05:1 to about 0.5:1. The separation of spent (i.e., used) cracking catalyst from gaseous and liquid cracked products and the separation into various gaseous and liquid product fractions can be carried out by any conventional separation means. The most desirable product fraction is gasoline (ASTM boiling range: about 82° to 204°C (180°-400°F)). Non-limiting examples of such separation schemes are shown in "Petroleum Refining" by James H. Gary and Glenn E. Handwerk, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1975. Generally, cracking catalysts are regenerated (preferably by steam stripping for removal of adhered oil and subsequent heating under oxidizing conditions so as to burn off carbon deposits). At least a portion of the regenerated cracking catalyst composition can then be treated by the reactivation process of this invention comprising steps (a)-(d), and thereafter be recycled to the cracking reactor, generally in admixture with fresh (unused) cracking catalyst. The following examples are present to further illustrate this invention and are not to be considered as unduly limiting the scope of this invention. EXAMPLE I This example illustrates the reactivation of a first zeolite-containing equilibrium catalyst, i.e., a cracking catalyst a portion of which had been employed in a cracking process and had then been regenerated. Catalyst A1 was a GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst, which had been supplied as fresh catalyst by Davison Chemical Division of W.R. Grace and Company, Baltimore, MD, and had been employed in a commercial FCC cracking process in a refinery of Phillips Petroleum Company and thereafter regenerated by heating in air. The fresh catalyst contained about 25 weight-% zeolite and 75 weight-% silica-alumina matrix. Catalyst A1 contained 0.21 weight-% Ni, 0.34 weight-% V, 0.58 weight-% Fe, 0.05-0.1 weight-% Sb and 0.44 weight-% Na. Catalyst A1 had a surface area of 104 m²/g, a total pore volume of 0.30 ml/g, an apparent bulk density of 0.89 g/ml, and a zeolite unit cell size of 2.439 mm (24.39 Å). Catalyst A2 was prepared by treating 100 grams of Catalyst A1 with about 2 liters of a 0.4 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F for 2 hours at 90°C with stirring. The mixture of catalyst and solution was filtered, and the filter cake of Catalyst A2 was washed with distilled water and thereafter dried at 120°C. Catalyst A3 was prepared by treating 100 grams of Catalyst A1 with about 2 liters of a 0.4 molar aqueous solution of NH₄NO₃ for 2 hours at 90°C with stirring. The mixture of catalyst and solution was filtered, and the filter cake was washed with distilled water and dried at 120°C. Catalyst A4 was prepared by treating 10 grams of Catalyst A3 with 10 ml of a 0.1 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F for 2 hours at 90°C with stirring. The mixture was filtered, and the filter cake was dried at 120°C without having been washed. Catalyst A5 was prepared in accordance with the procedure for Catalyst A4 except that a 0.3 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F was used (in lieu of the 0.1 molar NH₄F solution). Catalyst A6 was prepared in accordance with the procedure for Catalyst A4 except that a 0.5 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F was used (in lieu of 0.1 molar NH₄F solution). Catalyst A7 was prepared in accordance with the procedure for Catalyst A4 except that a 1.0 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F was used (in lieu of 0.1 molar NH₄F solution). Catalysts A1 through A7 were calcined in air at 500°C for two hours, and were then evaluated in a MAT (microactivity test) cracking test reactor, in accordance with ASTM method D 3907-80. MAT test conditions comprised a temperature of about 482°C (900°F), a catalyst to oil weight ratio of 3:1, and use of an Ekofisk gas oil feed (having a density (API gravity) at 60°F = 16°C of 0.829 g/cm³ (26.9); viscosity at 100°C of 5.0 centistoke; sulfur content of 0.39 weight-%, and nitrogen content of 0.1 weight-%). Test results are summarized in Table I . Test results in Table I indicate that treatment of the GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst (i.e., Catalyst A1) with 0.4M (0.4 molar) NH₄NO₃ and then with 0.3-0.5M NH₄F resulted in higher MAT conversion than treatment with either NH₄NO₃ or NH₄F alone. Example II This example illustrates the reactivation of a second zeolite-containing equilibrium cracking catalyst. Catalyst B1 was a MS-370 equilibrium catalyst, which had been supplied as fresh catalyst by Engelhard Corporation, New York, NY, and had been employed in a commercial FCC cracking process in a refinery of Phillips Petroleum Company and thereafter regenerated by heating in air. The fresh catalyst contained about 25 weight-% zeolite and about 75 weight-% silica-alumina matrix. Catalyst B1 contained 0.14 weight-% Ni, 0.16 weight-% V, 0.80 weight-% Fe, 0.03 weight-% Cu, 0.02 weight-% Sb and 0.26 weight-% Na. Catalyst B1 had a surface area of 149 m²/g and a total pore volume of 0.39 ml/g. Catalyst B2 was prepared by treating 100 grams of Catalyst B1 with about 2 liters of a 0.4 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F for 2 hours at 90°C with stirring. The mixture of catalyst and solution was filtered, and the filter cake was washed with distilled water and thereafter dried at 120°C. Catalyst B3 was prepared by treating 100 grams of Catalyst B1 with about 2 liters of a 0.4 molar aqueous solution of NH₄NO₃ for 2 hours at 90°C with stirring. The mixture of catalyst and solution was filtered, and the filter cake was washed with distilled water and thereafter dried at 120°C. Catalyst B4 was prepared by treating 10 grams of Catalyst B3 with 10 cc of a 0.1 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F for 2 hours at 90°C. The mixture of catalyst and solution was filtered, and the filter cake was dried at 120°C without having been washed. Catalyst B5 was prepared in accordance with the procedure for Catalyst B4 except that a 0.3 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F was used (in lieu of the 0.1 molar NH₄F solution). Catalyst B6 was prepared in accordance with the procedure for Catalyst B4 except that a 0.5 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F was used (in lieu of the 0.1 molar NH₄F solution). Catalyst B7 was prepared in accordance with the procedure for Catalyst B4 except that a 1.0 molar aqueous solution of NH₄F was used (in lieu of the 0.1 molar NH₄F solution). Catalysts B1 through B7 were calcined in air at 500°C for 2 hours, and were then evaluated in a MAT cracking test unit in accordance with the procedure described in Example I. Test results are summarized in Table II . Data in Table II show that treatment of the MS-370 equilibrium catalyst (i.e., Catalyst B1) with 0.4M NH₄NO₃ and then with 0.1-1.OM NH₄F resulted in higher MAT conversion than treatment with either NH₄NO₃ or NH₄F alone. Example III This example is similar to Example I. A sample of a GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst which was slightly different from the GXO-40 catalyst used in Example I was used in this test series. This new sample of the GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst was labeled Catalyst C1 . Catalyst C2 was prepared in accordance with the procedure of Catalyst A2 (Example I) except that the NH₄F concentration was 1 molar (in lieu of 0.4 molar), and the above-described GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst sample was used in lieu of the one described in Example I. Catalyst C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7 , respectively, were prepared in accordance with the preparations for Catalysts A3, A4, A5, A6 and A7, respectively, except that the above-described GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst sample was used in lieu of the one described in Example I. Catalysts C1 through C7 were calcined in air at 500°C for 2 hours and were then evaluated in a MAT cracking test unit in accordance with the procedure described in Example I. Test results are summarized in Table III . Test data in Table III show that treatment of the GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst used in this example (i.e., Catalyst C1) with 0.4M NH₄NO₃ and then with 0.3-1.OM NH₄F resulted in higher MAT conversion and higher gasoline yield than treatment with either NH₄NO₃ or NH₄F alone. Example IV This example describes tests similar to those of Example III except that large 22.7 kg (50 lb.) batches (in lieu of 10 g samples) of equilibrium catalyst GXO-40 described in Example III were used in the solution treatment. Pertinent test results are summarized in Table IV . Test data in Table IV show that treatment of a GXO-40 equilibrium catalyst with 0.4M NH₄NO₃ and then with 2M NH₄F resulted in higher MAT conversion and gasoline yield than treatment with 0.4M NH₄NO₃ or 2M NH₄F alone.

Claims: A process for reactivating a spent cracking catalyst composition comprising the steps of (a) contacting a spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition with a solution of an ammonium compound other than ammonium fluoride, under such contacting conditions as to enhance the cracking activity of said cracking catalyst composition; (b) at least partially separating the cracking catalyst composition having enhanced cracking activity obtained in step (a) from said solution used in step (a); (c) contacting the at least partially separated cracking catalyst composition having undergone steps (a) and (b) with an aqueous solution comprising a fluorine compound, under such conditions as to enhance the cracking activity of the catalyst composition having undergone steps (a) and (b); and (d) heating the cracking catalyst composition obtained in step (c) under such conditions as to obtain a dried, reactivated cracking catalyst composition. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition comprises a zeolite dispersed in a silica-alumina matrix at a weight ratio in the range of from about 1:20 to about 1:1. A process in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said solution used in step (a) is a solution comprising NH₄NO₃, preferably an aqueous solution. A process in accordance with claim 3, wherein the concentration of NH₄NO₃ in said solution used in step (a) is in the range of from about 0.01 to about 5 mol/l, and the ratio of the number of grams of spent catalyst composition to the number of moles of NH₄NO₃ in step (a) is in the range of from about 1:1 to about 1000:1. A process in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein said fluorine compound used in step (c) is NH₄F, preferably wherein said NH₄F is used as a solution in water. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein the solution of NH₄F in water has a concentration in the range of from about 0.3 to about 2.0 mol/l NH₄F. A process in accordance with claim 6, wherein the ratio of the number of millimoles of NH₄F to the number of grams of said at least partially separated cracking catalyst composition in step (c) is in the range of from about 0.01:1 to about 10:1. A process in accordance with any of the preceding claims comprising the additional step of drying the cracking catalyst composition obtained in step (b), before carrying out step (c). A process in accordance with any of preceding claims comprising the additional steps of washing and thereafter drying the cracking catalyst composition obtained in step (b), before carrying out step (c). A process in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein said heating conditions in step (d) comprise a temperature in the range of from about 80 to about 700°C for a period of time in the range of from about 0.1 to about 10 hours. A process in accordance with claim 10 wherein heating step (d) is carried out in two sub-steps: first substantially drying the catalyst composition obtained in step (c), and thereafter calcining the dried catalyst composition at a temperature in the range of from about 450 to about 550°C. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein step (d) is carried out in a free oxygen containing gas atmosphere. A process in accordance with any of the preceding claims, wherein step (a) is carried out with an aqueous solution of NH₄NO₃, step (c) is carried out with an aqueous solution of NH₄F, the concentration of NH₄NO₃ in the solution used in step (a) is about 0.1-1.0 mol/l, and the concentration of NH₄F in the solution used in step (c) is about 0.8-1.2 mol/l. A process in accordance with any of the preceding claims wherein said spent zeolite-containing cracking catalyst composition used in step (a) contains metal impurities selected from the group consisting of oxides of Ni, V, Fe, Sb, Cu, and Na. A process in accordance with claim 14, wherein the level of said metal impurities is in the range of from about 0.01 to about 1.0 weight percent, expressed as metal oxide.

Inventors: CHIA, MIN FU
Applicants: PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B01J29
IPC codes: B01J29, B01J38, C10G11