Integrated Mg/TiO2 – phosphate based ionic liquid system for deep desulfurization of diesel oil

• Main Author: Yee , Cia Yin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS 2013
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/8495/1/YeeCiaYin_12900_Dissertation.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/8495/

Photooxidative-extractive sulfur removal process is the application of photocatalytic oxidation of the sulfur compounds in model oil followed by ionic liquid extraction. The reaction was carried out under ambient temperature and pressure. A series of Mg/TiO2 photocatalyst were prepared with magnesium loading and calcination temperature as research parameters. Imidazolium based ionic liquids were used as the extractant. These Mg/TiO2 were sent for characterization to determine their morphologies and physico-chemical properties. The average particle size of Mg/TiO2 ranges between 25nm to 36nm and Mg/TiO2 has lower band gap energy as compared to TiO2 enabling it to oxidize refractory sulfur compound under visible light irradiation. Ionic liquids were used for extractive desulfurization after the photooxidation process which could also be carried out in ambient temperature and pressure. The best performing photocatalyst is 0.25Mg400, 0.25 wt% magnesium doped on TiO2 calcined at 400oC. It was able to photooxidize 98.5% of sulfur compounds. The best ionic liquid was 1-ethyl-3-ethyl imidazolium diethylphosphate (EEIM[DEP]) with extraction efficiency of 97.84%. Thus, the overall sulfur removal efficiency was 96.37%.