Carbono ativado com metais suportados como adsorventes para dessulfuração profunda da gasolina comercial

Abstract

In this study, modified carbonaceous materials were prepared by metals impregnation (copper, silver and palladium) for removing sulfur from synthetic solutions of benzothiophene in iso-octane solutions and also in commercial gasoline. Benzothiophene adsorption of iso-octane solutions (mixture model) was measured by fixed bed experiments filled with activated carbons with and without metal impregnation in three different temperatures: 30, 45 and 60°C. Breakthrough curves were simulated according to a mathematical model that considers operation nonlinear isothermal adsorption equilibrium, axial dispersion flow and mass transfer described by Linear Driving Force model (LDF). The LDF model for gas adsorption kinetics is frequently and successfully used for analysis of adsorption column dynamic data and for adsorptive process designs because it is simple, analytic, and physically consistent. The results confirmed the efficiency of activated carbons used in sulfur compounds adsorption, especially when its surface is modified with metals. Adsorption capacities, qm, were significant obtained for materials used, values in order of 1.08 mmol S/gads for GF45 activated carbon, 2.00 mmol S/gads for GF45/CuCl2 activated carbon, 2.38 mmol S/gads for GF45/AgCl activated carbon and 2.71 mmol S/gads to GF45/PdCl2 activated carbon to the mixture model and 0.14 mmol S/gads for GF45/AgCl activated carbon, 0.23 mmol S/gads to GF45 activated carbon, 0.30 mmol S/gads for GF45/CuCl2 activated carbon and 1.00 mmol S/gads for GF45/PdCl2 activated carbon, showing an improvement when working with materials impregnated with metals. In terms of selectivity, there was a better value for this parameter studies in material impregnated with palladium. With respect to process reversibility, it was observed that adsorption area was twice value of desorption area for all materials. This demonstrates that activated carbon has no good reversibility, ie, activated carbon retains part of adsorbate even after purging, which will ultimately decreasing the amount of same active sites over successive cycles of adsorption/desorption. Adsorptive processes for removing sulfur components can be a viable alternative to complement the HDS process.