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Fuel Cell Grade Diesel Processed by Ultrasound-Assisted oxidative Desulfurization Technology

Environmental Engineering SeminarOmid Etemadi, Ph.D. Candidate
Environmental Engineering
University of Southern CaliforniaAbstractUltrasound-Assisted Oxidative Desulfurization (UAOD) process has been improved for practical use by substituting solid adsorption with solvent extraction. Therefore the advantages of both oxidative and adsorptive desulfurization have been put together for an enhanced continuous system. A tailor-made modular sonoreactor was used in a portable unit of continuous flow system with a fixed-bed adsorbent. The whole system operates at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Alumina is used for removing the oxidized sulfur compounds in MGO marine logistic diesel and JP-8 jet fuel diesel. For the same sulfur removal much lower alumina is needed than the liquid solvent for extraction. For achieving a green chemistry, the recovery of the adsorbent was through calcining instead of using organic solvents for regeneration of alumina. Tests on model compounds prove the selectivity of alumina in adsorption. Scale-up tests have promising results for industrial use of the system.This presentation focuses on sulfur removal in certain diesel fuels and the results support the selective nature of oxidation and adsorption. Chromatograms from sulfur chemiluminescence detector (GC-SCD) and pulsed flame-photometric detector (GC-PFPD) show the levels of removal down to ultra-low sulfur diesel. Images from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and results of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) for different phases of alumina clarify the characteristics of the adsorbents.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 156

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes