Journal of Environmental Biology

Novel approach to produce ultra low sulfur diesel fuel by

non-hydrodesulfurization process coupled with bio-desulfurization technique to meet environmental standards

T. Sekar¹*, M. Aslam Abdullah², F. Khushwant² and P.Tanishq²

 ¹Department of Petrochemical Technology, BIT Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli - 620 017, India

²Chemical Engineering Division, VIT University, Vellore - 632 014, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: aslamset@gmail.com

 Publication Data

Paper received:

14 October 2015

Revised received:

26 June 2016

Accepted:

20 August 2016

Abstract

Coupling of non-hydrodesulfurization process with bio-desulfurization process can bring benefits to produce ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels. Under operating condition of 65^oC and atmospheric pressure, the sulfur content present in diesel fuel decreased from 766 ?g g^-1 to 7.14 ?g g^-1 by non-hydrodesulfurization process using persulfate as oxidizing agent. The non-hydrodesulfurization diesel fuel was used for bio-desulfurization technique using the Rhodocuccus sp and Methylomonas methanica separately.? An experiment was conducted in two phase medium [non aqueous to aqueous ratio, 15:85 to 100:0 (i.e., 0-100% diesel)]. Microbial strains were observed to follow classic monod type growth kinetics under the present range of substrate maximum growth rate (?max = 0.096 hr^-1 and 0.098 hr^-1) and half saturation constant (Ks = 71 and 77 mg dm^-3) for Rhodocuccus sp and Methylomonas methanica, respectively. This bio-desulfurization process was conducted in a trickle bed reactor under continuous mode that was coupled with non-hydrodesulfurization unit. The sulfur content present after bio-desulfurization technique using Rhodocuccus sp and Methylomonas methanica was 4.22 ?g g^-1 and 4.06 ?g g^-1, respectively. This was equivalent to 99.93% sulfur removal and was 1.78 times better than Bharat IV norms.   

 Key words

Bio-desulfurization, Non-hydrodesulfurization, Strains, Sulfur 

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