Removal of sulfur-containing compounds from liquid hydrocarbon streams
First Claim
1. A method for regenerating sulfone oil comprising:
- combining a sulfone-rich oil with an aqueous hydroxide to convert sulfones to a sulfite and biphenyls;
removing the sulfite; and
recycling the biphenyls as fuel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method for desulfurizing a fuel stream such as a diesel stream is disclosed which includes generation of a sulfone oil, the desulfurization of the sulfone oil and the recycling of the resulting biphenyl-rich stream and ultra-low sulfur diesel streams. The method includes combining a thiophene-rich diesel stream with an oxidant to oxidize the thiophenes to sulfones to provide a sulfone-rich diesel stream. Sulfone oil is extracted from the sulfone-rich diesel stream to provide sulfone oil and a first low-sulfur diesel stream The low-sulfur diesel stream is recycled. The sulfone-rich oil stream is combined with an aqueous oxidant-containing stream, such as caustic stream, which oxidizes the sulfones to biphenyls and forms sulfite to provide a second low-sulfur diesel stream.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for regenerating sulfone oil comprising:
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combining a sulfone-rich oil with an aqueous hydroxide to convert sulfones to a sulfite and biphenyls; removing the sulfite; and recycling the biphenyls as fuel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for regenerating sulfone oil comprising:
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combining and mixing a sulfone-rich oil with aqueous caustic thereby oxidizing sulfones in the sulfone-rich oil to one or more hydrocarbons and forming sulfite to provide a substantially sulfur-free diesel phase and an aqueous sulfite phase; separating the aqueous sulfite phase from the diesel phase; and recycling the diesel phase. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for desulfurizing a diesel stream, comprising:
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combining a thiophene-rich diesel stream with an oxidant stream to oxidize thiophenes to sulfones to provide a sulfone-rich diesel stream; extracting a sulfone oil stream from sulfone-rich diesel stream to provide the sulfone oil and a first low-sulfur diesel steam; combining the sulfone-rich oil stream with an aqueous hydroxide stream thereby oxidizing sulfones in the sulfone-rich oil stream to biphenyls and forming sulfite to provide a second low-sulfur diesel stream and an aqueous sulfite stream; separating the aqueous sulfite stream from the second low-sulfur diesel stream; and recycling the first and second low-sulfur diesel streams. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification