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AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsJeffrey Dysard, Zhigou Hou, Jonathan McConnachie, Andrzej Malek, Ramesh Gupta, William Lewis
Estimating the term…
Refractory or hard sulfur found in a hydrocarbon stream containing refractory sulfur heterocycle compounds, particularly those exhibiting steric hindrance, is removed from the stream by contacting it with a sodium reagent comprising a sodium component, having free sodium, supported on a solid support component. If the hydrocarbon stream contains more labile or easy sulfur, then it is treated, typically by hydrodesulfurization, to remove at least most of the labile sulfur before it is contacted with the sodium reagent. This is useful for bringing the sulfur level of middle distillate fuel streams, such as diesel and jet fuel fractions, down to a level of less than about 10 wppm, employing conventional hydrodesulfurizing catalysts and conditions.
A process for removing refractory sulfur from a hydrocarbon stream containing refractory sulfur, which process comprises contacting said stream with a sodium reagent comprising a sodium component having free sodium, supported on a particulate solid support component.
A process for removing sulfur from a sulfur-bearing hydrocarbon stream containing both labile and refractory sulfur, which process comprises contacting said stream with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrodesulfurization catalyst, at reaction conditions effective to remove labile sulfur, to produce a sulfur-reduced stream, followed by contacting said sulfur-reduced stream with a sodium reagent, comprising free sodium on a solid support component, to remove at least a portion of said refractory sulfur, to further reduce its sulfur content and produce a hydrocarbon stream having a low sulfur content.
A process for removing labile and refractory sulfur from a sulfur-bearing hydrocarbon stream derived from one or more naturally-occurring hydrocarbon sources, which process comprises (i) reacting said stream with hydrogen, in the presence of a hydrodesulfurizing catalyst and hydrogen, at reaction conditions effective to remove most of the labile sulfur, but not the refractory sulfur, and produce a sulfur-reduced stream and H2S, (ii) separating said H2S from said sulfur-reduced stream to produce a stream reduced in H2S, and (iii) contacting said H2S reduced stream with a solid reagent comprising supported sodium having a free sodium content, to remove at least a portion of said refractory sulfur, and produce a second sulfur-reduced stream further reduced in sulfur.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.