Swapnil A. Dharaskar

Extractive Deep Desulfurization of Liquid Fuels Using Lewis-Based Ionic Liquids

A new class of green solvents, known as ionic liquids (ILs), has recently been the subject of intensive research on the extractive desulfurization of liquid fuels because of the limitation of traditional hydrodesulfurization method. In present work, eleven Lewis acid ionic liquids were synthesized and employed as promising extractants for deep desulfurization of the liquid fuel containing dibenzothiophene (DBT) to test the desulfurization efficiency. [Bmim]Cl/FeCl3 was the most promising ionic liquid and performed the best among studied ionic liquids under the same operating conditions. It can remove dibenzothiophene from the model liquid fuel in the single-stage extraction process with the maximum desulfurization efficiency of 75.6%. It was also found that [Bmim]Cl/FeCl3 may be reused without regeneration with considerable extraction efficiency of 47.3%. Huge saving on energy can be achieved if we make use of this ionic liquids behavior in process design, instead of regenerating ionic liquids after every time of extraction.

Ionic liquids: energy efficient novel solvent for the extractive desulphurisation of liquid fuels

A novel group of energy efficient solvent, recognised as ionic liquids, has recently been the subject of challenging research on the extractive desulphurisation of liquid fuels. The aim of this study is to explore the possible application of ionic liquids as green energy efficient solvent because of their unique physical and chemical properties. In this work, imidazolium-based 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexfluorophosphate [BMIM]PF6 and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM]BF4 were synthesised and employed as extractive agent for removal of sulphur compounds. The 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR have been discussed for the molecular confirmation of synthesised ionic liquid. Further, conductivity, and solubility analysis of ionic liquids were carried out. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, partition coefficient, sulphur compounds, ultrasonication and recycling of ionic liquids without regeneration on dibenzothiophene removal of liquid fuel were presented. Also, the desulphurisation and multistage extraction of real fuels were investigated. The data and results of presented work might be provide significant insights of ionic liquids as green solvent for extractive desulphurisation of liquid fuels.