Patent ID: 8575063

Claim:
A catalyst comprising nickel supported on an alumina support formed from precursor materials comprising nickel and aluminum, said catalyst comprising a plurality of mesopores and a negligible amount of macropores, wherein one of: (1) said mesopores have a size between 30.2 and 603 angstroms and said macropores have a size greater than 603 angstroms and up to 24,000 angstroms, and said negligible amount of said macropores is such that: R ⁢ ⁢ 1 = Mesopore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 603 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 30.2 ⁢ ⁢ Å Macropore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 24 , 000 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 603 ⁢ ⁢ Å > 90 (2) said mesopores have a size between 30.2 and 452 angstroms and said macropores have a size greater than 452 angstroms and up to 24,000 angstroms, and said negligible amount of said macropores is such that: R ⁢ ⁢ 2 = Mesopore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 452 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 30.2 ⁢ ⁢ Å Macropore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 24 , 000 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 452 ⁢ ⁢ Å > 65 (3) said mesopores have a size between 30.2 and 362 angstroms and said macropores have a size greater than 362 angstroms and up to 24,000 angstroms, and said negligible amount of said macropores is such that: R ⁢ ⁢ 3 = Mesopore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 362 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 30.2 ⁢ ⁢ Å Macropore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 24 , 000 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 362 ⁢ ⁢ Å > 55 ; and (4) said mesopores have a size between 30.2 and 259 angstroms and said macropores have a size greater than 259 angstroms and up to 24,000 angstroms, and said negligible amount of said macropores is such that: R ⁢ ⁢ 4 = Mesopore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 259 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 30.2 ⁢ ⁢ Å Macropore ⁢ ⁢ Volume ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ Pores ⁢ ⁢ between ⁢ ⁢ 24 , 000 ⁢ ⁢ Å ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ 259 ⁢ ⁢ Å > 30.