The Desulfurization of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Gasoline by Extractive Distillation

Abstract

Desulfurization of fluid catalytic cracking gasoline was investigated in a lab scale extractive distillation column. Before the extractive distillation, fluid catalytic cracking gasoline was distillated into light and heavy fractions. Then, the light fraction was desulfurized by extractive distillation using dimethylformamide as the solvent. Factors impacting the desulfurization efficiency of the extractive distillation were studied. Under optimal desulfurization conditions, distillate yield reaches 60.8 vol%, and sulfur content of the product was 48.0 ppmw. The desulfurization efficiency could reach up to 89%. Paraffins, olefins, napthenes, and aromatics group analysis results showed that the process could transfer the majority of olefins in fluid catalytic cracking gasoline into the distillate. These high octane number olefins are good blends for producing high quality Europe IV gasoline.

Keywords:

• desulfurization
• extractive distillation
• fluid catalytic cracking gasoline