On the Adsorption of Organosulfur Compounds from Liquid Fuels by Carbon Nanoparticles, Modified Carbon Cloth and Activated Carbon: An Equilibrium and Kinetic Study (R-3131)

n this PhD study the use of activated carbon cloth (ACC) for sulfur compounds removal in fluid fossil fuels is studied. As model sulfur compounds benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethylbenzothiophene are used in n-heptane as solvent. The obtained experimental data are fitted with different adsorption isotherms and evaluated in view of their adsorption capacity and characteristics. Different chemical activation treatments are used in order to increase the adsorption possibility of the studied AC. The applicability of carbon nanoparticles dispersed in aqueous phase for removal of the mentioned sulfur compounds is studied too. Additionally, other ACs will be studied on the same model sulfur compounds in the same solvent. They are produced in our lab by pyrolysis experiments on different biomass waste streams and activated, chemically or thermally. All ACs will also be tested on real fluid fossil fuels, in order to reduce the amount of toxic organic sulfur compounds to an acceptable level. Using AP-TPR, the kind and the amount of adsorbed sulfur compound classes on the ACs will be studied and identified. Based on this information, proper cleaning procedures will be proposed using a steam treatment at dedicated temperature. It was proved that washing with f.i. n-heptane didnt result in an acceptable regeneration level. It is indeed the purpose to re-use the ACs after the desulfurization process because of the high cost of the ACs.

Keywords:ANALYTICAL STRATEGIES, MATERIALS RESEARCH

Disciplines:Chemical sciences, Environmental sciences, Pharmaceutical sciences