Spent catalyst waste management: A review

Solid catalysts containing metals, metal oxides or sulfides, which play a key role in the refining of petroleum to clean fuels and many other valuable products, become solid wastes after use. In many refineries, the spent catalysts discarded from hydroprocessing units form a major part of these solid wastes. Disposal of spent hydroprocessing catalysts requires compliance with stringent environmental regulations because of their hazardous nature and toxic chemicals content. Various options such as minimizing spent catalyst waste generation by regeneration and reuse, metals recovery, utilization to produce useful materials and treatment for safe disposal, could be considered to deal with the spent catalyst environmental problem. In this paper, information available in the literature on spent hydroprocessing catalyst waste reduction at source by using improved more active and more stable catalysts, regeneration, rejuvenation and reuse of deactivated catalysts in many cycles, and reusing in other processes are reviewed in detail with focus on recent developments. Available methods for recycling of spent hydroprocessing catalysts by using them as raw materials for the preparation of active new catalysts and many other valuable products are also reviewed.