Project number
25076
Organization
UA Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Offering
ENGR498-F2024-S2025
When gasoline and diesel hydrocarbon compounds are burned, naturally occurring sulfur forms compounds that damage respiratory health and contribute to toxic acid rain. For this reason, the government regulates the amount of sulfur allowed in fuel. In diesel, this limit is as low as 50 parts per million. To comply with these standards, oil refineries must remove sulfur before the diesel can be sold and used.
Hydrodesulfurization is the primary removal method. In this process, hydrocarbons from other parts in the refinery, e.g. straight-run gas oil and light cycle oil, are reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst at high temperatures and pressures to separate sulfur from the hydrocarbon chain and create hydrogen sulfide gas.
The team designed a reactor and a separation system to remove hydrogen sulfide and other gases from the diesel stream. An amine unit processes the gases to absorb hydrogen sulfide and recycle hydrogen back to the reactor. The diesel product is stabilized and separated from lighter hydrocarbons before being sold as a product.
The team simulated and optimized the hydrodesulfurization unit in Aspen HYSYS software. The goals were to reduce sulfur content in the final diesel product to a maximum of 50 parts per million to minimize energy usage, cost and the environmental impact of this process.
Hydrodesulfurization is the primary removal method. In this process, hydrocarbons from other parts in the refinery, e.g. straight-run gas oil and light cycle oil, are reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst at high temperatures and pressures to separate sulfur from the hydrocarbon chain and create hydrogen sulfide gas.
The team designed a reactor and a separation system to remove hydrogen sulfide and other gases from the diesel stream. An amine unit processes the gases to absorb hydrogen sulfide and recycle hydrogen back to the reactor. The diesel product is stabilized and separated from lighter hydrocarbons before being sold as a product.
The team simulated and optimized the hydrodesulfurization unit in Aspen HYSYS software. The goals were to reduce sulfur content in the final diesel product to a maximum of 50 parts per million to minimize energy usage, cost and the environmental impact of this process.