A new nano-sized NiMo/TiO2-γ-Al2O3 was prepared as a Hydrodesulphurization catalyst for Iraqi gas oil with sulfur content of 8980 ppm, supplied from Al-Dura Refinery. Sol-gel method was used to prepare TiO2- γ-Al2O3 nano catalyst support with 64% TiO2, 32% Al2O3, Ni-Mo/TiO-γ-Al2O3 catalyst was prepared under vacuum impregnation conditions to loading metals with percentage 3.8 wt.% and 14 wt.% for nickel and molybdenum respectively while the percentage for alumina, and titanium became 21.7, and 58.61 respectively. The synthesized TiO2- γ-Al2O3 nanocomposites and Ni-Mo /TiO2- γ-Al2O3 Nano catalyst were then characterized by XRD, AFM, and BET surface area, SEM, XRF, and FTIR. The performance of the synthesized catalyst for removing sulfur compounds was conducted through the pilot HDS laboratory unit, various temperatures range 275oC to 375°C, LHSV 1 h-1 were studied; moreover, the effect of LHSV 1 to 4 h-1 on the percentage of sulfur removal was also studied at the temperature of the best removal with constant pressure 35 bar and H2/HC ratio 200cm3/200cm3. The sulfur content results generally revealed that there was a substantial decrease at all operating conditions used, while the maximum sulfur removal was 87.75% in gas oil on Ni-Mo/TiO2-γ-Al2O3 catalyst at temperature 375˚C and LHSV 1h-1.
