Process for separating particles containing alkali metal salts from liquid hydrocarbons

Abstract

The present technology provides a process that includes heating a first mixture of elemental sulfur and particles comprising an alkali metal sulfide in a liquid hydrocarbon to a temperature of at least 150° C., to provide a sulfur-treated mixture comprising agglomerated particles; and separating the agglomerated particles from the sulfur-treated mixture to provide a desulfurized liquid hydrocarbon and separated solids. This process may be used as part of a suite of processes for desulfurizing liquid hydrocarbons contaminated with organosulfur compounds and other heteroatom-based contaminants. The present technology further provides processes for converting carbon-rich solids (e.g., petroleum coke) into fuels.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.