Energy & Fuels, Vol.27, No.12, 7714-7723, 2013
Development of a Continuous Flow System for the Oxidative Desulfurization of Refractory Organosulfur Compounds in Hydrotreated Diesel
Two synthesized oxovanadium(IV) polymer-supported catalysts, poly[VO(sal-AHBPD)] and poly[VO(allyISB-co-EGDMA)], were employed for the oxidation of thiophene (TH), benzothiophene (BTH), dibenzothiophene (DBT), and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) under a continuous flow system at 40 degrees C. Maximum conversion was attained at a flow rate of 1 mL/h, with overall conversions of 71%, 89%, 99%, and 88% achieved when poly[VO(allyISB-co-EGDMA)] was employed, and conversions of 79%, 90%, 97%, and 91% were achieved when poly[VO(sal-AHBPD)] was employed for the oxidation of thiophene (TH), benzothiophene (BT), dibenzothiophene (DBT), and 4,6 dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT), respectively. The high organosulfur oxidation yield displayed by this method, followed by adsorption of the sulfones using chitosan nanofibers, suggests its possible application in the oil industry for oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of hydrotreated fuel.