Method for heavy fuel desulfurization using ultrasonically induced cavitation
AssigneeKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology
InventorsPaolo Guida, William LaFayette Roberts, IV, Saumitra Saxena
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Abstract
A process is disclosed for removing sulfides from liquid fossil fuel comprising mixing the liquid fossil fuel with an oxidizer and catalyst to form a multiphase reaction medium and producing a fluid flow of the multiphase reaction medium. Ultra sound may be applied to the multiphase reaction medium to cause oxidation of sulfides in the liquid fossil fuel to sulfones; and extracting the sulfones to yield an organic phase and aqueous phase. The ultra sound is performed by generating vibrations parallel to the fluid flow of the multiphase reaction medium. The organic phase substantially consists of desulfurized fuel.
Claims20
A process for removing sulfides from liquid fossil fuel comprising:
- mixing the liquid fossil fuel with an oxidizer and catalyst to form a multiphase reaction medium and producing a fluid flow of the multiphase reaction medium;
- applying ultrasound to the multiphase reaction medium in an ultrasound reactor to cause oxidation of sulfides in the liquid fossil fuel to sulfones;
- and
- extracting the sulfones to yield an organic phase and aqueous phase,
- wherein the ultrasound is performed by generating vibrations parallel to the fluid flow of the multiphase reaction medium,
- wherein the organic phase substantially consists of desulfurized fuel;
- wherein the ultrasound reactor comprises:
- a vessel configured to receive the liquid fossil fuel, oxidizer and catalyst as the multiphase reaction medium;
- and
- a vibrating probe disposed within walls of the vessel,
- wherein the multiphase reaction medium is configured to flow generally parallel to the probe,
- wherein the vibrating probe is configured to produce pressure waves to induce formation of nano-sized bubbles in the multiphase reaction medium along one or more cavitation zones along a length of the vibrating probe,
- wherein the vessel walls are at a distance of approximately 0.5 to 5 times the diameter of a smallest diameter of the vibrating probe;
- wherein the vibrating probe comprises a sonotrode, and
- wherein the process further comprises controlling a temperature and a pressure of the vibrating reactor using a power output of the sonotrode as feedback.
A process for removing sulfides from liquid fossil fuel comprising:
- mixing the liquid fossil fuel with an oxidizer and catalyst to form a multiphase reaction medium and producing a fluid flow of the multiphase reaction medium;
- applying ultrasound to the multiphase reaction medium in an ultrasound reactor to cause oxidation of sulfides in the liquid fossil fuel to sulfones;
- and
- extracting the sulfones to yield an organic phase and aqueous phase,
- wherein the ultrasound is performed by generating vibrations parallel to the fluid flow of the multiphase reaction medium,
- wherein the organic phase substantially consists of desulfurized fuel;
- wherein the ultrasound reactor comprises:
- a vessel configured to receive the liquid fossil fuel, oxidizer and catalyst as the multiphase reaction medium;
- and
- a vibrating probe disposed within walls of the vessel, wherein the multiphase reaction medium is configured to flow generally parallel to the probe,
- wherein the vibrating probe is configured to produce pressure waves to induce formation of nano-sized bubbles in the multiphase reaction medium along one or more cavitation zones along a length of the vibrating probe,
- wherein the vessel walls are at a distance of approximately 0.5 to 5 times the diameter of a smallest diameter of the vibrating probe;
- wherein the vibrating probe comprises a sonotrode, and
- wherein applying ultrasound is performed using the vibrating probe at a frequency ranging from approximately 20 to 24 kHz, and an amplitude of 15 to 210 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.