Fuels and Sulfur

Sulfur content in fuel and sulfur removal processor development are in a constant stage of change and the reader is referred to the literature to assess the latest status and techniques. 

Figure 7. Part of a TIC chromatogram obtained after the GC/MS analysis of rubber contaminated with diesel fuel and sulfur vesicants, (a) Dichloromethane extract and (b) thermodesorption at 120 °C. 1, mustard gas 2, mustard disulfide. Data recorded at TNO-PML on a VG 70-250S GC/MS instrument (Micromass, UK) (40). (Reproduced from Wils, E. R. J., Hulst, A. G., de Jong, A. L., J. Chromatogr., 625, 382-386 (1992) by permission of Elsevier Science)...

Hydrocracking makes very good quality diesel fuels concerning the cetane number, cold behavior, stability, and sulfur content. However this type of stock is only available in limited quantities since the process is still not widely used owing essentially to its high cost. 

Until 1992, the maximum sulfur level, identical for diesel fuel and homeheating oil, was 0.3% for all of Europe. Nevertheless, certain countries had... 

The high C/H ratio for heavy fuels and their high levels of contaminants such as sulfur, water, and sediment, tend to reduce their NHV which can reach as low as 40,000 kJ/kg by comparison to the 42,500 kJ/kg for a conventional home-heating oil. This characteristic is not found in the specifications, but it is a main factor in price negotiations for fuels in terms of cost per ton. Therefore it is subject to frequent verification. 

The coking process produces electrode quality coke from vacuum residues of good quality (low metal and sulfur contents) or coke for fuel in the case of heavy crude or vacuum residue conversion having high impurity levels. 

Benson, J.D. et al. (1991), Effects of gasoline sulfur level on mass exhaust emissions . SAE paper No. 91-2323, International fuels and lubricants meeting, Toronto, Ontario. 

Where T)is flame temperature in K MC is moisture content of the waste, expressed on a total weight basis SR is defined as stoichiometric ratio or moles O2 avadable/moles O2 required for complete oxidation of the carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur in the fuel, ie, 1/SR = equivalence ratio and is temperature of the combustion air, expressed in K. In Fnglish units, this equation is as follows ... 

Od condensed from the released volatdes from the second stage is filtered and catalyticady hydrotreated at high pressure to produce a synthetic cmde od. Medium heat-content gas produced after the removal of H2S and CO2 is suitable as clean fuel. The pyrolysis gas produced, however, is insufficient to provide the fuel requirement for the total plant. Residual char, 50—60% of the feed coal, has a heating value and sulfur content about the same as feed coal, and its utilisation may thus largely dictate process utdity. 

The deposition of molten Na2S04 ia gas turbiaes is beheved to be related to the reaction between the residual sulfur ia fuel and sodium which may be contained either ia the fuel or the intake air. The sodium ia the air is normally present as an aerosol of sea salt. Salt concentrations of over 0.01 ppm ia the intake air may be necessary to initiate hot corrosion. 

Commercial-scale processes have been developed for the production of hydrogen sulfide from heavy fuel oils and sulfur as well as from methane, water vapor, and sulfur. The latter process can be carried out in two steps reaction of methane with sulfur to form carbon disulfide and hydrogen sulfide followed by hydrolysis of carbon disulfide (116). 

Spent Acid or Burning. Burners for spent acid or hydrogen sulfide are generally similar to those used for elemental sulfur. There are, however, a few critical differences. Special types of nozzles are required both for H2S, a gaseous fuel, and for the corrosive and viscous spent acids. In a few cases, spent acids maybe so viscous that only a spinning cup can satisfactorily atomize them. Because combustion of H2S is highly exothermic, carehil design is necessary to avoid excessive temperatures. 

Poly(vinyl nitrate) has been prepared and studied for use in explosives and rocket fuel (104,105). Poly(vinyl alcohol) and sulfur trioxide react to produce poly(vinyl sulfate) (106—111). Poly(vinyl alkane sulfonate)s have been prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol) and alkanesulfonyl chlorides (112—114). In the presence of urea, poly(vinyl alcohol) and phosphoms pentoxide (115) or phosphoric acid (116,117) yield poly(vinyl phosphate)s. 

Multiple-hearth roasting offers ease of operation, abiUty to handle a wide variety of ores or blends, and Httle downtime. On the other hand, these furnaces are no longer being built because of their high capital and labor costs, relatively low sulfur dioxide off-gas, need for added fuel, and marginal opportunity for waste-heat recovery. 

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