engleski

Green solvents in fuel processing

Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents have been considered as green, eco-friendly solvents that can replace commonly used volatile organic solvents. In the fuel processing industries the most important impurities that need to be removed from liquid fuels are sulfur, nitrogen and partially aromatic compounds. Commercial processes for desulfurization and denitrification require high temperatures and pressures, as well as large amounts of hydrogen, making purification step an expensive and relatively environmentally unfriendly process. As investigated by a number of of researchers, green solvent have found their place as selective solvents in an alternative process for removing sulfur, nitrogen and aromatic compounds, liquid-liquid extraction. Both types of solvents posses similar properties, such as high solutes capacities, low vapor pressure, stability, simple regeneration, reusability and tunability, but deep eutectic solvents are much cheaper and greener. Based on the published articles, ionic liquids show higher extraction efficiencies than deep eutectic solvents, but generally speaking, deep eutectic solvents can be used to remove a wider range of the key components concentration. Recently, the possibility of using both, ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents in the production of biodiesel has been investitaged. These solvents can be used as reaction mediums, cosolvents or catalysts for the sinthesys of biodiesel and as selective solvents for the purification of raw vegetable oil or animal fat as well as for extraction of impurities from the raw biodiesel. Short review of the application of green solvents in the processes of separation of impurities from fossil fuels and biodiesel will be presented.

biodiesel; deep eutectic solvents; extraction; fossil fuels

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