Shear Mixer-Assisted Oxidative Desulfurization of Natural Gas Condensate in a Gas-Liquid Oxidation System - Abstract
In this study, desulfurization of Natural gas condensate was carried out using a novel method consisting of a shear mixer in the gas-liquid oxidation system. The desulfurization process was performed in two stages of oxidation and extraction. In the oxidation step, a mixture of HNO3, H2SO4 and NO2 with different amounts was used simultaneously as oxidizing agent and a shear mixer with 5000 rpm for 30 minutes was used to increase mass transfer between gas and liquid phases (between gas and immisible liquid phases). The extraction step was performed by water and caustic solution. In experiments, very low amounts of oxidants (mole basis); HNO3 :0.031 to 0.619, NO2: 0.031 to 0.619 and H2SO4: 0.45 to 2.25; were used and the mixing was carried out by the shear mixer. The results show that even with very low amounts of oxidants, the effect of the shear mixer is very significant, so that the amount of sulfur in condensate decreased from 2300 ppm to 201 ppm, its conversion is equal to 91%. It is worth mentioning that the effect of simultaneous use of HNO3 , H2SO4 and NO2 as oxidant in the process of sulfurization, is much more than single or double use of these oxidants. In addition, the use of shear mixer in this system, has a significant effect on increasing the mass transfer rate and reducing sulfur content than conventional mixer.