Oxidative Desulfurization of Diesel Using Vanadium-Substituted Dawson-Type Emulsion Catalysts

In this study, we aimed at investigating the catalytic oxidative desulfurization (CODS) of the model diesel oil and real diesel oil using the vanadium-substituted Dawson-type emulsion catalyst ([cetrimonium](6+x)P2W18-xVxO62 (x = 1, 3,.5)). Among all prepared samples, [cetrimonium](11)P2W13V5O64 showed the best results in CODS of model diesel oil under determined conditions (10 g/L catalyst and O/S mole ratio = 4). The Taguchi method was then applied to optimize the catalyst dosage, hydrogen peroxide dosage, and the reaction temperature in CODS using the best emulsion catalyst. Then formic acid and acetic acid were used as a co-oxidant to improve the oxidation ability. Under optimum conditions, a mixture of H2O2/formic acid (1:1), in the presence of [cetrirnonium](11)P2W13V5O62 could remove 98% of dibenzothiophene and 82% of benzothiophene. Finally, under optimum conditions of CODS, 90% of total sulfur was removed from a real diesel sample. It is worth mentioning that we could recycle [cetrimonium](11)P2W13V5O64, eight times without a significant decrease in catalyst activity.