US 2007/0175798 A1 · METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DESULFURIZATION OF HYDROCARBON FUELS

Abstract

Sulfur is removed from a hydrocarbon fuel via contact with a desulfurization agent; the desulfurization agent is then regenerated (wherein sulfur is released) by exposing it to oxygen. The sulfur removal and regeneration processes each can be carried out at relatively moderate temperatures, e.g., from 300 to 600° C., and pressure, e.g., about 0.79 to about 3.5 MPa; and the desulfurization agent can include a transition metal oxide, such as molybdenum oxide. The process can also include the additional steps of cracking the hydrocarbon, separating high-boiling and low-boiling fractions from the reaction product and contacting the lower-boiling fraction with a secondary desulfurization agent.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A process for removing sulfur from a sulfur-containing hydrocarbon fuel comprising:

contacting a hydrocarbon fuel in the absence of added hydrogen at a temperature in the range of 350 to 600° C. and at a pressure in the range from about 790 kPa to about 3.5 MPa with a primary desulfurization agent in the form of a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of molybdenum oxide tantalum oxide, tungsten oxide and combinations thereof to produce a reaction between the hydrocarbon fuel and the primary desulfurization agent that removes sulfur from the hydrocarbon fuel by replacing oxygen in the metal oxide with the sulfur from the hydrocarbon fuel to form a metal sulfide;
and
regenerating the primary desulfurization agent by exposing it to oxygen at a temperature in the range of 350 to 600° C. to replace the sulfur in the metal sulfide with oxygen to revert back to the metal oxide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and compositions for desulfurization of hydrocarbon fuels

Life of this patent

Methods and compositions for desulfurization of hydrocarbon fuels

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36