A removal of sulfur-containing compounds from fuel oils using a naturally occurring iron oxyhydroxide

Abstract

The paper deals with removing sulfur-containing compounds (SCC) from a fuel oil during oxidative desulfurization in the presence of a naturally occurring iron oxyhydroxide. A natural iron oxyhydroxide is obtained by deferrization of underground water. Iron oxyhydroxide activated at 100, 200, 250, 350, and 700°C, is used as a catalyst. The process of removing SCC from the fuel oil includes two steps: oxidation using hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst and extraction of oxidized sulfur compounds with aqueous acetonitrile. A temperature of 45 °C and the duration of 60 minutes at a sulfur:oxidant molar ratio of 1:3⋯1:5 have been found out as the optimal condition for the oxidation process. A correlation is made between the activation temperature of the catalyst and the degree of sulfur removal from fuel oil. It is established that the use of catalytic samples of iron oxyhydroxide treated at a temperature of 200 or 250 °C is most preferred. The optimum catalyst content in the reaction mixture is 2.0 wt.%. According to the above steps and conditions, the degree of removal of sulfur from the fuel oil in the course of a sequential removing SCC from the fuel oil is 92.3 wt.%.