Method for the production of hydrocarbon fuels with ultra-low sulfur content
AssigneeHer Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources
InventorsMaria Stanciulescu, Michio Ikura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for producing hydrocarbon fuels with ultra-low levels of sulfur. The method involves catalytic oxidation of the sulfurous compounds within the hydrocarbon fuel, followed by extraction of the oxidized (and polarized) sulfurous compounds using a polar solvent. The present invention teaches the involvement of ethanol during catalytic oxidation. In this way, the oxidation catalyst has a dual-role in the oxidation process: firstly the catalyst directly oxidizes the sulfurous compounds, and secondly the oxidation catalyst converts of a small portion of the alcohol to the corresponding peroxy acid, which also helps to drive the oxidation process.
Claims8
A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon fuel, comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting a hydrocarbon fuel containing sulfurous compounds with an oxidant and ethanol in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a vanadium compound supported on cordierite to oxidize the sulfurous compounds and to oxidize a portion of the ethanol to form peracetic acid and utilizing the peracetic acid thus formed for further oxidation of the sulfurous compounds;
- and
- (b) extracting the oxidized sulfurous compounds with a polar solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.