Desulfurization process and novel bimetallic sorbent systems for same

A process for the production of a sorbent composition suitable for the removal of sulfur from a cracked-gasoline stream which comprises:

• (a) impregnating a particulate support with a bimetallic promotor;
• (b) drying the impregnated particulate of step (a);
• (c) calcining the dried particulate of step (b);
• and thereafter
• (d) reducing the resulting calcined particulate of step (c) with a suitable reducing agent under suitable conditions to produce a particulate composition having the valence of said bimetallic promotor substantially reduced such that the reduced bimetallic promotor containing composition will affect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when said stream is contacted with same under desulfurization conditions:

A process for the production of a sorbent composition suitable for the removal of sulfur from a cracked-gasoline stream which comprises:

• (a) incorporating a bimetallic promotor into a non-particulated support composition;
• (b) particulating the resulting bimetallic promotor-support composition;
• (c) drying the bimetallic promotor containing particulate;
• (d) calcining the dried bimetallic promotor containing particulate of step (c);
• and thereafter
• (e) reducing the resulting calcined particulate of step (d) with a suitable reducing agent under suitable conditions to produce a particulate having the valence of the metals of said bimetallic promotor substantially reduced such that the reduced valence bimetallic promotor containing composition will affect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when said stream is contacted with same under desulfurization conditions.

A process for the removal of sulfur from a stream of a cracked-gasoline or diesel fuel which comprises:

• (a) contacting said stream with a sorbent composition comprising a bimetallic promotor and a particulate support wherein said bimetallic promotor has the metals thereof in a substantially reduced valence state and in an amount which will effect the removal of sulfur from said stream while enhancing the olefin retention in said stream under conditions such that there is formed a desulfurized fluid stream of cracked-gasoline and a sulfurized sorbent;
• (b) separating the resulting desulfurized fluid stream from said sulfurized sorbent;
• (c) regenerating at least a portion of the separated sulfurized sorbent in a regeneration zone so as to remove at least a portion of the sulfur absorbed thereon;
• (d) reducing the resulting desulfurized sorbent in an activation zone so as to provide a reduced valence bimetallic promotor therein which will affect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when contacted with same;
• and
• (e) returning at least a portion of the resulting desulfurized, reduced bimetallic promotor containing sorbent to said desulfurization zone.

A process for the production of a sorbent composition suitable for the removal of sulfur from a diesel fuel stream which comprises:

• (a) impregnating a particulate support with a bimetallic promotor;
• (b) drying the impregnated particulate of step (a);
• (c) calcining the dried particulate of step (b);
• and thereafter
• (d) reducing the resulting calcined particulate of step (c) with a suitable reducing agent under suitable conditions to produce a particulate composition having the valence of said bimetallic promotor substantially reduced such that the reduced bimetallic promotor containing composition will affect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when said stream is contacted with same under desulfurization conditions.

A process for the production of a sorbent composition suitable for the removal of sulfur from a diesel fuel stream which comprises:

• (a) incorporating a bimetallic promotor into a non-particulated support composition;
• (b) particulating the resulting bimetallic promotor-support composition;
• (c) drying the bimetallic promotor containing particulate;
• (d) calcining the dried bimetallic promotor containing particulate of step (c);
• and thereafter
• (e) reducing the resulting calcined particulate of step (d) with a suitable reducing agent under suitable conditions to produce a particulate having the valence of the metals of said bimetallic promotor substantially reduced such that the reduced valence bimetallic promotor containing composition will affect the removal of sulfur from a stream of cracked-gasoline when said stream is contacted with same under desulfurization conditions.