A Comparative Review on Different Processing Strategies for Treatment of Sulfone Waste of Oxidative Desulfurization Process

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

The School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST),, Tehran, I.R. IRAN

Abstract

The desulfurization process is always one of the sensitive and important processes in the oil and gas industry. The presence of sulfur in hydrocarbon streams, in addition to the process problems it causes in refining sections, can produce hazardous gases and acid rain if found in fuel products. The oxidative desulfurization process is one of the new desulfurization methods to produce sulfur-free fuels. This process has some advantages over the hydrodesulfurization process such as not consuming valuable hydrogen, mild operating conditions, and simple elimination of sulfur-containing aromatic compounds. Despite the advantages of oxidative desulfurization, this process also faces challenges. One of the most important problems in this process is the waste treatment process, especially the mixture of sulfone compounds obtained from the process. In this study, various processes such as hydrodesulfurization, coking, gasification, and hydrocarbon recovery were studied to solve the problem of sulfone waste disposal. Also, a comparison has been done between the available technologies in terms of the requirement for new investment, the possibility of integration with refining units, and the level of maturity of the technology.

Keywords

Main Subjects


[1] Stanislaus A., Marafi A., Rana M.S., Recent advances in the Science and Technology of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) Production, Catalysis Today, 153(1): 1-68 (2010).
[2] Dehkordi A.M., Kiaei Z., Sobati M.A., Oxidative Desulfurization of Simulated Light Fuel Oil and Untreated Kerosene, Fuel Processing Technology, 90(3): 435-445 (2009).
[3] Sobati M.A., Dehkordi A.M., Shahrokhi M., Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Oxidized Sulfur-Containing Compounds of Non-Hydrotreated Kerosene. Fuel Processing Technology, 91(11): 1386-1394 (2010).
[5] Jafari M., Ebrahimi S.L., Khosravi-Nikou M.R., Ultrasound-Assisted Oxidative Desulfurization and Denitrogenation of Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels: A Critical Review, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 40: 955-968 (2018).
[6] Kabe T., Hydrodesulfurization and Hydrodenitrogenation, Chemistry and Engineering, 54: (1999).
[7] Khodaei B., Rahimi M., Sobati M.A., Shahhosseini S., Jalali M.R., Effect of Operating Pressure on the Performance of Ultrasound-Assisted Oxidative Desulfurization (UAOD) Using a Horn Type Sonicator: Experimental Investigation and CFD Simulation, Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification, 132: 75-88 (2018).
[8] Campos-Martin J.M., Capel‐Sanchez M.D.C., Perez‐Presas P., Fierro J.L.G., Oxidative Processes of Desulfurization of Liquid Fuels, Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology, 85(7): 879-890 (2010).
[9] Ismagilov Z., Yashnik S., Kerzhentsev M., Parmon V., Bourane A., Al-Shahrani F.M., Hajji A.A., Koseoglu O.R., Oxidative Desulfurization of Hydrocarbon Fuels, Catalysis Reviews, 53(3): 199-255 (2011).
[10] Ito E., Rob van Veen J.A., On Novel Processes for Removing Sulphur from Refinery Streams, Catalysis Today,  116(4): 446-460 (2006).
[11] Rappas, A.S.K., Nero T.X., Vincent P. Katy T.X., Decanio, Stephen J. Katy T.X., Process for Removing Low Amounts of Organic Sulfur from Hydrocarbon Fuels, United States Patent Application 09952850 (2002).
[12] Levy, R.E.H., Stavros, Alkis, Sudhakar, Chakka, Nero, Vincent Paul, Decanio, Stephen Jude, Hydrodesulfurization of Oxidized Sulfur Compounds in Liquid Hydrocarbons, United States Patent Application 20030094400 (2003).
[13] Cullen M.R., Process for Generating and Removing Sulfoxides from Fossil Fuel, United States Patent Application 10429369 (2004).
[14] Bourane K., Refa M., , Kressmann, Stephane Cyrille, Desulfurization and Sulfone Removal Using a Coker, United States Patent Application 9574143 (2017).
[15] Bourane A.R.T., Koseoglu, Omer Refa, Kressmann, Stephane Cyrille, Process for Oxidative Desulfurization and Sulfone Management by Gasification, United States Patent Application 9574142 (2017).
[16] Al-Shahrani F.M.D, Xiao, Tiancun), Shi, Huahong, Green, Malcolm L.H., Hydrocarbon Recovery From Sulfones Formed by Oxidative Desulfurization Process, United States Patent Application 8501999 (2013).
[17] Fields E.K., Meyerson S., Pyrolysis and Mass Spectrum of Dibenzothiophene 5, 5-Dioxide, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 88(12): 2836-2837 (1966).
[18] Wallace T., Heimlich B., The Decomposition of Dibenzothiophene Dioxide and Related Compounds in the Presence of Molten Alkali, Tetrahedron, 24(3): 1311-1322 (1968).
[19] LaCount R.B., Friedman S., Oxidation of Dibenzothiophene and Reaction of Dibenzothiophene 5,5-Dioxide with Aqueous Alkali, The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 42(16): 2751-2754 (1977).
[20] Varga T.R., Ikeda Y., Tomiyasu H., Desulfuration of Aromatic Sulfones with Fluorides in Supercritical Water, Energy & Fuels, 18(1): 287-288 (2004).