Catalytic adsorptive desulfurization of model diesel fuel using TiO2/SBA-15 under mild conditions. (15th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ren, Xiaoling; Miao, Guang; Xiao, Zhiyong; Ye, Feiyan; Li, Zhong; Wang, Haihui; Xiao, Jing
• Is Part Of: Fuel. Volume 174(2016)
• Page Start: 118
• Page End: 125
• Publication Date: 2016-06-15
• Subjects: Catalytic adsorptive desulfurization (CADS) -- Dibenzothiophene (DBT) -- TiO2/SBA-15 -- Adsorption isotherm -- Kinetics -- Ultra-clean fuel; Fuel -- Periodicals; Coal -- Periodicals; Coal; Fuel; Periodicals; 662.6
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2016.01.093
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-2361

Abstract

Highlights: Proposed a new CADS–TiO2 /SBA-15 system for ultra-deep desulfurization of fuel. High CADS capacity of 12.7 mg/g at low S-conc. of 15 ppm-S was achieved. Fast CADS kinetic equilibrium was achieved in 0.5 h. Excellent regenerability of TiO2 /SBA-15 by oxidative air treatment was reported. Abstract: This study investigates catalytic adsorptive desulfurization (CADS) of model diesel fuel using TiO2 /SBA-15 under mild conditions. The TiO2 /SBA-15 was prepared by a facile incipient wetness impregnation method and characterized by N2 adsorption and X-ray diffraction. The CADS referred to ADS performance were evaluated in a batch reactor. High desulfurization uptake of 12.7 mg/g was achieved at low sulfur concentration of 15 ppmw-S by TiO2 /SBA-15 under CADS, which was two-magnitude higher than that under ADS without the in-situ catalytic oxidation of dibenzothiophene. Kinetic results suggested that the CADS equilibrium over TiO2 /SBA-15 was reached fast in 0.5 h. In the CADS–TiO2 /SBA-15 system, the TiO2 loading, cumene hydroperoxide/dibenzothiophene ratio and CADS temperature were optimized to be 10 wt%, 2, and 35 °C, respectively. Furthermore, desulfurization tests in 5 consecutive CADS-regeneration cycles suggested that the bi-functional TiO2 /SBA-15 can be regenerated by acetonitrile washing followed with oxidative air treatment. The CADS–TiO2 /SBA-15 mechanism went through the oxidation of DBT to oxidized DBTO2 over TiO2 /SBA-15 by cumene hydroperoxide, which was followed by the adsorption of the oxidized DBTO2 over TiO2 /SBA-15. The superior desulfurization uptake at low sulfur concentration range, fast adsorption kinetics, excellent regenerability, operation at mild conditions, and facile and low-cost adsorbent synthesis make the CADS–TiO2 /SBA-15 system an effective and economic desulfurization approach for ultra-clean fuel production.