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Design and simulation of continuous extractive desulfurization process of FCC gasoline

Gasoline obtained by catalytic cracking process in fluidized bed (FCC gasoline) is one of the mayor components for the gasoline blending (cca 35 vol.%). Almost total amount of the sulfur present in the commercial gasoline derive from FCC gasoline, and this is way it is very important to enhance desulfurization process efficiency particularly for this fraction. Legislative restrictions regarding allowed sulfur content in motor fuels since 2009 are 10 mg kg-1. This is why increased number of scientific research involving in development of new desulfurization processes is emerging, i.e. processes that will be used as a supplement to the existing catalytic hydrodesulfurization process (HDS). Liquid extraction method is based on better solubility of sulfur compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons in relation to non aromatics in appropriate polar solvent. In petroleum refining industry sulfolane is a commercial extraction solvent mostly used for aromatics extraction from different petroleum fractions. Since part of the sulfur in petroleum is present in the form of aromatic compounds, sulfolane makes an interesting candidate as a solvent for extractive desulfurization of FCC gasoline. For the purpose of the investigation of continuous liquid extractive desulfurization of FCC with sulfolane, completely automated apparatus for continuous liquid extraction processes was build. Software allows acquisition of practically all of the measurable process variables and at the same time graphical display of their variations in real time. Increase of the extraction efficiency was achieved by introducing the pulsating plates into the extraction column (Karr column). With this design, simple finishing treatment of the obtained raffinate with water is enabled, as well as the possibility of the continuous solvent regeneration and reuse. Deployed demands for the apparatus are bind to the possibility of the following process variables regulation: feed and solvent flow, temperature, pressure and mixing speed at stabile phase interface level. Simulation of the liquid – liquid extractive desulfurization of FCC gasoline, as an upgrade of the HDS process, was achieved with ChamCad software package. The simulated and measured data were compared.

FCC gasoline; Desulfurization; Sulfolane; Continuous liquid extraction; Process simulation

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