Patent ID: 7179766

Claim:
A catalyst pastille comprising an active powdered catalyst coated with a protective hydrocarbon coating material such that an essentially oxygen- and/or moisture barrier is created for the powdered catalyst, wherein said powdered catalyst has an average particle size of from about 1μ to about 225μ, and wherein said powdered catalyst defines a density and said coating material defines a density and the density of said powdered catalyst is greater than the density of said coating material, and wherein said catalyst pastille is prepared by the process comprising the steps of: a. combining a hydrocarbon material having a congealing point of from about 110° F. to about 250° F. with said powdered catalyst in a low-shear jacketed blender to form a mixture wherein said catalyst is uniformly dispersed throughout said hydrocarbon, said low-shear jacketed blender selected to minimize catalyst attrition and being set to maintain a temperature that is from about 0° F. to about 50° F. above the congealing point of said hydrocarbon material; b. transferring said mixture from said low-shear jacketed blender to a pastillator at a temperature sufficient to maintain said hydrocarbon material in a semi-solid phase so as to avoid settling of the powdered catalyst; and c. depositing at a blender end of said pastillator a plurality of drops of said mixture onto a steel belt cooler of predetermined length, and transporting said drops to a discharge end of said pastillator while cooling said drops to a temperature low enough to solidify said hydrocarbon phase to form pastilles having a diameter of from about 2 mm to about 100 mm and a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 10 mm, and wherein said powdered catalyst is uniformly dispersed throughout said hydrocarbon material.