Regeneration of an Aged Hydrodesulfurization Catalyst by Non-Thermal Plasma: Characterization of Refractory Coke Molecules

This study describes the phenomena involved during regeneration of an aged industrial hydrodesulfurization catalyst (CoMoP/Al2O3) using a non-thermal plasma at low temperature (200 °C). The changes occurring were studied by characterizing spent, partially, and fully regenerated catalysts XRD, Raman, TEM spectroscopy, coke deposited on surface Laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI TOF/MS). is mixture several polycyclic molecules, heaviest with coronene backbone, containing up to seven sulfur atoms. kinetic shows that oxidation rate depends nature coke. Hence, explaining formation VOCs from heavy carbon molecules without complete CO2. However, XRD Raman spectroscopies evidence CoMoO4 after long treatment time, indicating hot spots regeneration.