Efficient Impurity Removal from Model FCC Fuel in Millireactors Using Deep Eutectic Solvents

The goal of strict fuel quality regulations is to decrease the levels of sulfur, nitrogen, and aromatic chemicals in gasoline, thereby enhancing environmental safety. Due to the high costs of hydrodenitrification and hydrodesulfurization, many studies are looking for alternative fuel-purifying processes. The straightforward extraction approach using deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has proven to result in the removal of impurities and the enhancement of gasoline quality. Seven DESs were employed in a batch extraction process to purify the model fuel. The TbabFa-0 solvent was chosen for extraction in millireactors with different lengths, volume flows, and solvent ratios. In the millireactor, a slug regime and a laminar flow pattern were established for every process condition. For the chosen process conditions, the diffusion coefficient, volumetric mass transfer coefficient, and distribution ratio were determined. Better separation of all three key components was achieved during extraction in a millireactor using TbabFa-0. The efficiency of extraction with regenerated solvent was lowered by a maximum of 8%, showing the possibility of performing extraction in a millireactor with solvent recirculation.