Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel Fuel Using Three Kinds of Carboxylic Acids Supported by Iron(III) Chloride

Jalil H. Kareem, Department of Petroleum Technology, Erbil Technology College, Erbil Polytechnic University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, IraqFollow

Corresponding Author

Jalil H. Kareem

Authors ORCID

0000-0001-6603-8886

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

Aqueous carboxylic acids (CA) are generally used as attractive catalytic extractants in the field of desulfurization of petroleum products. In the present study, a triple system consisting of CA-ferric chloride-hydrogen peroxide has been used for the removal of aromatic S-compounds from partially hydrotreated diesel by liquid−liquid oxidative-extraction. The influence of various operating parameters affecting the oxidative desulfurization was experimentally investigated. Formic acid (HCOOH), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and propanoic acid (CH3CH2COOH) as aqueous solutions with hydrogen peroxide and iron(III) chloride (FeCl3) as oxidant and catalytic agent, respectively, were used. All experiments were carried out at 55°C with different oxidant to sulfur mole ratios (nH2O2/nS) (15–36), CA to sulfur mole ratios (nCA/nS) (2–26), and oxidation reaction times (5–25 min). Within 25 min of the treatment, a maximum elimination of aromatic S-compounds of 65.1% was obtained when molar ratio of oxidant to sulfur (nH2O2/nS) was 36 and molar ratio of CA to sulfur (nCA/nS) was 26. Surface tension calculations for the CAs demonstrated that the average void radius of the acids has a pronounced effect on the fitting of S-compounds from diesel fuel into acids and is important to sulfur removal. Further, increasing the desulfurization efficiency was also energetically affected in the presence of ferric halide. The obtention of the sulfur removal ability value was noticeably higher than was achieved by employing similar reaction conditions in the absence of FeCl3.

Keywords

Oxidation, Diesel fuel, Ferric chloride, Hydrogen peroxide, Pollution, Desulfurization

How to Cite This Article

Kareem, Jalil H. (2021) "Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel Fuel Using Three Kinds of Carboxylic Acids Supported by Iron(III) Chloride," Polytechnic Journal: Vol. 11: Iss. 1, Article 19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25156/ptj.v11n1y2021.pp104-111