What is sulfiding in refineries?
Sulfiding is the activation process for hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalysts. Fresh catalysts are manufactured in oxide form and must be converted into their active sulfide form before they can remove sulfur, nitrogen, and other impurities from fuels. The process involves feeding a sulfur-containing compound (sulfiding agent) with hydrogen into the reactor to form hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which reacts with the catalyst to create the active sulfide phase.