METHOD OF PREPARING AND FILTERING COPRECIPITATED NICKEL-ALUMINA CATALYSTS

摘要

A catalyst precursor which when reduced can produce a catalyst suitable for the high pressure gasification of heavy hydrocarbons to produce methane-containing gases comprises a calcined coprecipitated-alumina containing from 50-65% Ni precursor. The catalyst contains (1) from 0 to not more than 0.43% K and from 0 to not more than 0.1% Na, (2) the combined weights of Na+K does not exceed 0.011 gm atoms/100 gm of catalyst, precursor (3) the ratio of Na: K falls within the area defined by ABCDEO in FIG. 1 of the drawings and (3) at combined Na+K weights of from 0 to 0.05% the water loss is not more than 11.2%. The catalyst precursors are prepared with the aid of a filtering aid selected from (NH4)2 CO3, Na2 CO3, K2CO3, Na NO3 or K NO3 to obtain low levels of alkali. The final catalyst may be employed for steam reforming reactions to produce methane-containing gases.