Process for removing low amounts of organic sulfur from hydrocarbon fuels by oxidation

摘要

A process for removing sulfur compounds from hydrocarbon fuels (such as diesel fuel and fuels containing benzothiophenes, dibenzothiophenes, and alkyl-substituted benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes) is disclosed, which comprises the steps of: contacting the sulfur containing fuel with an aqueous oxidizing solution comprising hydrogen peroxide, and formic acid in a mole ratio of at least about 11:1 formic acid to hydrogen peroxide and having less than about 25 wt % water, in an amount such that the hydrogen peroxide present is greater than about two times the stoichiometric amount required to convert the sulfur compounds present to corresponding sulfones, at a temperature of from about 50°C to about 130°C. to form a hydrocarbon fuel phase from which sulfur has been removed and an aqueous phase containing oxidized sulfur extracted from the hydrocarbon fuel phase; separating the aqueous phase containing the extracted sulfur compounds from the hydrocarbon fuel phase; and recovering the hydrocarbon phase containing the fuel having reduced sulfur content.