Deep Removal of Sulfur from Model Liquid Fuels using 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Chloride

Ionic liquids (ILs) as one kind of green solvents was studied and applied more and more with the development of green technology because of their unique physical and chemical properties. The removal of sulfur from liquid fuel using ionic liquids has been studied. The desulfurization efficiency of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bmim]Cl has been tested. The effects of ionic liquid loading, extraction temperature and extraction time on the removal of dibenzothiophene from different model liquid fuels n-dodecane, n-octane, n- hexane, and n-heptane were investigated. The highest extraction with 77.15% sulfur removal efficiency in a single stage extraction process was observed. Also the [Bmim]Cl can be reused in extraction without regeneration with considerable extraction effeicency.