FCC gasoline desulfurization using a ZSM-5 catalyst: Interactive effects of sulfur containing species and gasoline components

Fuel, Volume 90, Issue 5, May 2011, Pages 2016-2025

FCC gasoline desulfurization using a ZSM-5 catalyst: Interactive effects of sulfur containing species and gasoline components

Lisette Jaimes (a), Miguel Badillo (b) and Hugo de Lasa (a)

hdelasa@eng.uwo.ca

a Chemical Reactor Engineering Centre, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B9

b Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Zacatecas, Mexico

Abstract

Evaluates the influence of gasoline hydrocarbon components on thiophene conversion over H-ZSM5 zeolite. Describes experiments carried out in a CREC fluidized riser simulator under mild conditions using thiophene/hydrocarbon mixtures as representatives of gasoline. Results show a high and selective thiophene conversion, forming H2S, aromatics, alkyl-thiophenes, benzothiophene, and coke. Found that gasoline octane number is enhanced and olefin content reduced, accomplished with minimum gasoline losses. It is hypothesized that thiophene conversion takes place via ring opening and alkylation, with gasoline hydrocarbon components having key roles as hydrogen donors in thiophene ring opening reactions as well as co-reactants in thiophene alkylation. Full Text Source (Subscription or Fee): http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236110007015