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US 6,402,939 B1Granted
Oxidative desulfurization of fossil fuels with ultrasound
AssigneeSulphCo, Inc.
InventorsTeh Fu Yen, Hai Mei, Steve Hung-Mou Lu
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Abstract
Fossil fuels are combined with a hydroperoxide in an aqueous-organic medium and subjected to ultrasound, with the effect of oxidizing the sulfur compounds in the fuels to sulfones. Due to their high polarity, the sulfones thus formed are readily removed from the fuels by polar extraction. The process is thus highly effective in removing sulfur compounds from the fuels.
Claims33
A method for removing sulfides from a liquid fossil fuel, said method comprising:
- (a) combining said liquid fossil fuel with an acidic aqueous solution comprising water and a hydroperoxide to form a multiphase reaction medium, said acidic aqueous solution having a pH equal to that of a 1-30% by volume aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution;
- (b) applying ultrasound to said multiphase reaction medium for a time sufficient to cause oxidation of sulfides in said fossil fuel to sulfones;
- and
- (c) extracting said sulfones to yield an organic phase that is substantially sulfone-free.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.