Ultrasonic activation of formic acid and activated carbon for fuel desulfurization

FUEL 32

Michael T Timko, timko@aerodyne.com1, Michael Mock2, Rocco P Ciccolini2, and Jefferson W Tester, testerel@mit.edu3. (1) Center for AeroThermodynamics, Aerodyne Research, Inc, 45 Manning Road, Billerica, MA 01821, (2) Chemical Engineering, MIT, 25 Ames St, 66-053, Cambridge, MA 02143, (3) Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 66-454, Cambridge, MA 02139
Ultrasound has been used to promote formic acid and activated carbon as a green and inexpensive catalyst system for selective oxidation of fuel sulfur compounds present in diesel or jet fuel. A wide range of virgin and treated activated carbons have been tested, as well as several carbon blacks. The catalytic system has been applied to JP-8 and Jet-A. After a polishing step, up to 30% of the sulfur in JP-8 can be removed by treatment at pH = 2 for 60 min. Dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene are much more reactive toward oxidation by activated carbon than are benzothiophenes. At pH < 1, over 98% of a 1,000 ppm mass loading of dibenzothiophene spiked into JP-8 can be removed in 60 min without further polishing. The activated carbon/formic acid technology may be useful as a polishing step either at the refinery level or on-site.
 

Green Chemistry for Sustainable Energy Supply and Conversion
1:45 PM-5:40 PM, Sunday, April 6, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 242, Oral

Division of Fuel Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008