Abstract: Considering the low crushing strength and high attrition loss of the zeolite pellets prepared by the existing process, the feasibility of preparing sol by peptizing pseudo-boehmite powder, ZSM-5 molecular sieve and acid solution, and then preparing millimeter-size Al₂O₃-ZSM-5 pellets by hot oil-drop method, was studied. By optimizing the ratios of raw materials, peptizer and gelling agent, the droplets can shrink into pellets in the hot oil column and have sufficient strength to facilitate subsequent washing, drying and roasting. The crushing strength of Al₂O₃-ZSM-5 pellets prepared reached 39 N/pellet, the bulk density was 0.59－0.70 g/cm³, and the attrition loss was lower than 2%, meeting the demand of moving bed reaction. The Ga-supporting catalysts were prepared by using the prepared pellets as carrier. Compared with the unsupported catalyst, the isobutane aromatization result of the catalyst with optimum Ga loading showed that the dry gas yield decreased by 2.48 percentage points, and the aromatics yield increased by 26.72 percentage points.

Key words: hot oil-drop method, alumina sphere, ZSM-5 zeolite, isobutane, aromatization