Abstract: Four kinds of contact agents with high nickel content were prepared by saturated impregnation method. The effects of nickel on the physical properties of contact agent were studied by BET, XRD, H₂-TPR, EPMA and other means. The effects of nickel on the contact cracking of residue were investigated in a small fixed fluidized bed experimental equipment. The results show that nickel has little effect on the pore structure of the contact agent, even if the nickel content on the contact agent reaches 5.17 %. The specific surface area and pore volume of the contact agent have little change. Nickel on the contact agent promoted the formation of dry gas and coke in the process of heavy oil contact cracking, especially the increase of coke yield, which led to the increase of hydrogen generation factor and promoting the dehydrogenation performance of the contact agent.

Key words: residue, contact cracking, nickel, contact catalyst