Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2025.02.019

中国化学工程学报 ›› 2025, Vol. 83 ›› Issue (7): 191-198.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2025.02.019

Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization

Yaohua Huang, Huatong Zhu, Heping Wu, Lele Zhang, Hao Lu, Qiang Yang

National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China

收稿日期:2024-09-23 修回日期:2024-12-26 接受日期:2025-02-12 出版日期:2025-07-28 发布日期:2025-07-28
通讯作者: Qiang Yang,E-mail:qyang@ecust.edu.cn
基金资助:
This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52025103), the Xplorer Prize (XPLORER-2022-1034).

Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization

Yaohua Huang, Huatong Zhu, Heping Wu, Lele Zhang, Hao Lu, Qiang Yang

National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China

Received:2024-09-23 Revised:2024-12-26 Accepted:2025-02-12 Online:2025-07-28 Published:2025-07-28
Contact: Qiang Yang,E-mail:qyang@ecust.edu.cn
Supported by:
This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52025103), the Xplorer Prize (XPLORER-2022-1034).

摘要/Abstract

摘要： In petroleum, mercaptan impurities generate malodorous fumes that pose risks to both human health and the environment, and leading to substandard oil quality. Lye desulfurization is a widely employed technique for eliminating mercaptans from oil. In traditional scrubber towers, lye and oil are poorly mixed, the desulfurization efficiency is low, and the lye consumption is high. To enhance washing efficiency, a droplet micromixer and corresponding fiber coalescence separator were developed. By optimizing the structure and operating parameters, more effective mixing and separation were achieved, and both caustic washing and desulfurization were enhanced. The proposed mixer/separator outperforms the industry standard by reducing the caustic loading by 30% and offers superior economic and engineering performances. The results of this study offer a direction for designing and optimizing a mercaptan removal unit to enhance the scrubbing effectiveness and decrease expenses to achieve more efficient and green production process.

关键词: Oil desulfurization, Mixing, Fiber coalescence, Mercaptan, Optimal design, Separation

Abstract: In petroleum, mercaptan impurities generate malodorous fumes that pose risks to both human health and the environment, and leading to substandard oil quality. Lye desulfurization is a widely employed technique for eliminating mercaptans from oil. In traditional scrubber towers, lye and oil are poorly mixed, the desulfurization efficiency is low, and the lye consumption is high. To enhance washing efficiency, a droplet micromixer and corresponding fiber coalescence separator were developed. By optimizing the structure and operating parameters, more effective mixing and separation were achieved, and both caustic washing and desulfurization were enhanced. The proposed mixer/separator outperforms the industry standard by reducing the caustic loading by 30% and offers superior economic and engineering performances. The results of this study offer a direction for designing and optimizing a mercaptan removal unit to enhance the scrubbing effectiveness and decrease expenses to achieve more efficient and green production process.

Key words: Oil desulfurization, Mixing, Fiber coalescence, Mercaptan, Optimal design, Separation

Yaohua Huang, Huatong Zhu, Heping Wu, Lele Zhang, Hao Lu, Qiang Yang. Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization[J]. 中国化学工程学报, 2025, 83(7): 191-198.

Yaohua Huang, Huatong Zhu, Heping Wu, Lele Zhang, Hao Lu, Qiang Yang. Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2025, 83(7): 191-198.

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Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization

Combined micromixing and coalescence separation for improved oil desulfurization

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