engleski

Optimization of fuel purification process using nanosuspension

Sulfur and nitrogen oxides, formed as products of fuel combustion, are air pollutants that can lead to the appearance of acid rain and, therefore, represent one of the main sources of environmental pollution [1]. Environmental concerns about the presence of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in fuels have prompted the European Union (EU) and American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish strict regulations regarding the presence of sulfur and nitrogen in fuels [2]. Extractive desulfurization and denitrification are presented as competitive and advantageous methods of removing sulfur and nitrogen compounds from fuels. They are conducted at mild operating conditions (ambient pressure and temperature) with solvents which are selective with a better ability of removing undesirable components. Improvements towards green technology and the development of new, environmentally friendly designed solvents offer many possibilities and represent an important subject in further progress. New, designed solvents DES, which satisfy the principles of green chemistry, have shown higher efficiency in fuel purification processes, extracting biologically active compounds, metabolites and macromolecules compared to extraction with classic volatile organic solvents [2, 3]. In addition to their suitable physical properties, the main advantages of DES are their nontoxicity, affordable price and a simple synthesis method in which cheap, renewable and biodegradable components are applied under mild conditions to form a eutectic mixture. In this study, DESs were used as media to form nanosuspensions (NS) with different nanoparticles (Al2O3, SiO2 and TiO2) in order to improve transport properties in the extraction process. In recent years, it has become known that NSs possess enhanced thermal properties due to Brownian motion of well dispersed nanoparticles inside fluids. Improvements of mass transfer by diffusion and/or convection can be expected due to heat and mass transfer analogy. The experiments are focused towards preparation of stable nanosuspensions, their implementation and achieving improvements in the extraction of thiophene (sulfur compound) and pyridine (nitrogen compound) from fuel. Optimal extraction time, most effective stirring and stability time of nanosuspension were determined. Results of extraction process using stable nanosuspensions were compared to extraction using same DES.

Deep Eutectic Solvent, denitrification, desulfurization, danosuspension

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