Kaoline-based catalyst for a high stability desulfurization of sour heavy naphtha in a three-phase oscillatory baffled reactor--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Hmood, H. M., Gheni, S. A., Ahmed, S. M. R., Ali, M. M., Saleh, H. Y., Mohammed, M. H., . . . Harvey, A. (2024). Kaoline-based catalyst for a high stability desulfurization of sour heavy naphtha in a three-phase oscillatory baffled reactor. Particuology, 84, 249-260. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2023.06.016

Kaoline-based catalyst for a high stability desulfurization of sour heavy naphtha in a three-phase oscillatory baffled reactor

Hassan M. Hmood^a, Saba A. Gheni^b *, Safaa M.R. Ahmed^b, Mudheher M. Ali^b, Hamid Yonis Saleh^c, Mohammed H. Mohammed^a, Awad E. Mohammed^d, Marwan A. Mahomood^c, Hiba R. Mohammed^b, Ahmed A. Hassan^a, Adam Harvey^e

a North Refineries Company, Ministry of Oil, Iraq
b Chemical Engineering Department, Tikrit University, Iraq
c Ministry of Oil, Iraq
d AL-Hawija Technical Institute, Northern Technical University, Mosel, Iraq
e School of Engineering, Newcastle University, UK

10.1016/j.partic.2023.06.016

Volume 84, January 2024, Pages 249-260

Received 6 December 2022, Revised 12 May 2023, Accepted 7 June 2023, Available online 16 July 2023, Version of Record 20 July 2023.

E-mail: ghenis@tu.edu.iq

Highlights

• High-stability oxidation catalysts from natural kaolin by sol-gel coating.

• Three-phase oscillatory baffled reactor utilized molecular oxygen for desulfurization.

• Mild kaoline-based oxidation process by oscillatory flow conditions.

• Non-extractive and continuous oxidation of sour heavy naphtha.

Abstract

To meet the rapidly increasing demand for energy and the dramatic depletion of conventional crude oil, it is imperative to utilize sour naphtha. With no coke being produced, oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of naphtha lowers its sulfur content and average molecular weight. In this article, we outline a method for heavy naphtha non-extractive ODS using a very stable catalyst. The technique involves the use of a solid catalyst with oxygen gas as the oxidant. This necessitated relatively high mixing intensities; hence a three-phase Oscillatory Baffled Reactor (OBR) was used. The catalyst was based on the zeolite ZSM-5, prepared from natural kaolin by a series of delamination and activation steps and impregnated with Fe. A TiO₂ nanolayer was applied, using the sol-gel method, to prevent rapid deactivation. The reactor performance was evaluated to minimize the sulfur content in the naphtha fuel. Due to the protective coating, the sulfur conversion stabilized at 90%. The results of this work establish the use of natural clay-based catalysts in a continuous, three-phase ODS, particularly with regard to proving long-term stability. It also showed that modest ODS can be achieved using an environmentally friendly oxidant, at mild operating conditions, whilst maintaining stability.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Natural kaoline; Desulfurization; Three-phase; Oscillatory baffled reactor

文章导读