Reforming catalyst and a method of preparation thereof

1. A reforming catalyst composition comprising:

a. a spherical gamma Al 2 O 3 support;

wherein the spherical gamma Al 2 O 3 support is a chloride free spherical gamma Al 2 O 3 support;

b. at least one Group VB metal oxide sheet coated on to said Al 2 O 3 support;

wherein:

the Group VB metal is at least one selected from a group consisting of niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta) having a concentration in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of the catalyst composition;

the metal oxide sheet coating has a thickness in the range of 100 to 250 μm; and

c. at least one active metal and at least one promoter metal impregnated on said Al 2 O 3 coated support.

2. The catalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said active metal is at least one Group VIII metal selected from the group consisting of Platinum (Pt) and Palladium (Pd) having a concentration in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of the catalyst composition.

3. The catalyst composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said promoter metal is at least one Group IVA, VIIB and VIIIB metal selected from a group consisting of Tin (Sn) and Germanium (Ge) having a concentration in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of the catalyst composition.

4. A method for preparing the reforming catalyst composition as claimed in claimed 1 , said process comprising the following steps:

a. dissolving at least one Group VB metal chloride in a predetermined amount of alcohol and aqueous ammonia in a flask to obtain a Group VB metal oxide gel;

b. adding a predetermined amount of Al 2 O 3 to said flask containing the Group VB metal oxide gel to obtain a first mixture;

c. hydrothermally treating said first mixture at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time period to obtain a second mixture comprising modified Al 2 O 3 coated with Group VB metal oxide sheet;

d. filtering said second mixture comprising modified Al 2 O 3 to obtain a first residue and a first filtrate;

e. drying said first residue at a temperature in the range of 100° C. to 150° C. for a time period in the range of 10 hours to 15 hours and calcining said first residue at a temperature in the range of 530° C. to 560° C. for a time period in the range of 4 to 8 hours to obtain a calcined modified Al 2 O 3 ;

f. dissolving a predetermined amount of at least one active metal salt selected from Group VIII metal salt and a predetermined amount of at least one promoter metal salt selected from Group IVA in water, in a second flask to obtain a third mixture;

g. adding a predetermined amount of concentrated HCl to said third mixture to obtain a dark red colored fourth mixture;

h. introducing a predetermined amount of calcined modified Al 2 O 3 to said fourth mixture and stirring it for a time period in the range of 8 to 16 hours at a temperature in the range of 25° C. to 35° C., followed by removing water under reduced pressure to obtain a second residue; and

i. drying and calcining said second residue to obtain the reforming catalyst composition.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said predetermined temperature is in the range of 160° C. to 200° C. and said predetermined time period is in the range of 40 hours to 50 hours.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the concentration of said active metal and promoter metal ranges from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of the catalyst composition.

7. A process for naphtha reforming comprising the following steps:

a. charging a fixed bed reactor with the reforming catalyst composition of claim 1 under inert atmosphere;

b. introducing H 2 in said reactor till a pressure of 7.3 kg/cm 2 is achieved;

c. heating the catalyst composition at a temperature in the range of 440 to 540° C.; and

d. contacting naphtha having LHSV of 1.95 hour −1 with said heated catalyst composition to obtain reformates of naphtha.