Diesel oil desulfurization by oxidation and extraction

• US 20070051667A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Dabbousi, Bashir, Al-Shahrani, Farhan, Martinie, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/208.R
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/16 Oxygen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/20 Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1055 Diesel having a boiling range of about 230 - 330 °C
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4006 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/44 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/04 Diesel oil
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 25/003 Specific sorbent material, not covered by C10G25/02 or C10G25/03
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/00 Refining of hydrocarbon oils in the absence of hydrogen, by oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/10 in the presence of metal-containing organic complexes, e.g. chelates, or cationic ion-exchange resins
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/12 with oxygen-generating compounds, e.g. per-compounds, chromic acid, chromates plumbites or plumbates C10G19/06
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/08 for compression ignition

Abstract

The reduction in the sulfur-containing content of diesel fuel is achieved by oxidation in the presence of a catalyst followed by a liquid-liquid countercurrent extraction.

Claims

1. A process for reducing the sulfur content of diesel fuel, comprising the steps of:

a) contacting a diesel fuel containing sulfur compounds in a reactor with an oxidant selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, peracetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, perchloric acid, nitric acid, sodium or potassium peroxidisulfate or peroxymonosulfate, and mixtures therof, in the presence of a homogeneous or heterogeneous oxidation catalyst at a temperature of about 50°

C. to about 150°

C. for a period of time sufficient to oxidize the sulfur compounds; and

b) removing the oxidized sulfur compounds from the diesel fuel by a liquid-liquid countercurrent extraction with a water-soluble polar solvent.

2. The process according to claim 1, including the steps of:

a) stripping the solvent from the diesel fuel; and

b) polishing the diesel fuel by passing it through an adsorbent to remove the remaining sulfur compounds.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reactor is a countercurrent reactor.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherin the reactor is stirred, agitated, oscillated, or static.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile and methanol.

6. The process according to claim 2, wherein the polishing is effected by an adsorbent bed consisting of polar organic groups coated or bound to a support selected from silica, alumina, or carbon.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of heteropoly tungstates, heteropolymolybdates, sulfophthalocyanines, metallophosphonates, peroxo-polyoxometallates, tetra-alkylammonium heteropolymetallates, polyoxometellates, transition metal oxides, Venturello, Campos-Martin, Bressan, Shum, Collins-Horwitz, Beardon, Merox, Benedict, Bonsignore, Changwen Hu, and Mere Te types of catalysts.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group of Tetraoctyl-Ammonium Phosphotungstate, Molybdotungstic Phosphonate, Phosphomolybdic Acid, Dioxomolybdenum Amino-Diisopropanolate, Triphosphono-Polyperoxotungstate, Bismuthomolybdic Acid, and Sodium Sulfophthalocyanine Cobalt Peroxide.