Adsorptive Desulfurization of Crude Oil with Expanded Perlite

Abstract

Crude oil; is a fossil energy source that has become possible to be used by refining processes and has a critical importance for the welfare, economic development, and quality of life of the society. As a result of the use of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur oxide (SOx), and other greenhouse gases are released and these gases are expressed as the main cause of global climate change. For this reason, scientists are making an intense effort to minimize the harmful effects of SOx gases released as a result of combustion reactions in crude oil. In this presented study; the sulfur content of crude oil has been tried to be reduced by an adsorptive desulfurization technique by using expanded perlite, which is a volcanic rock type and expands as a result of heating and takes on a porous structure. For this purpose, 50 mL samples of crude oil were treated separately with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 g of expanded perlite and then exposed to an adsorptive desulfurization process by mixing with a magnetic stirrer at 400 rpm for an hour at room temperature. Then, it was separated from the adsorbent with the help of a centrifuge and the amount of sulfur was determined by the LECO 628S device according to ASTM D 1552-03 method. As a result of the study, it was determined that the amount of sulfur in crude oil decreased by 10.82 %. The study's findings showed that the expanded crude perlite had a good capacity for sulfide loading, was renewably good, and had a stable structure for removing sulfur compounds.