Deep oxidative desulfurization of model fuel using ozone generated by dielectric barrier discharge plasma combined with ionic liquid extraction

The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is often used to prepare ozone. In this study, a novel room temperature oxidative desulfurization method involving ozone oxidation produced in the DBD reactor combined with ionic liquid (IL) [BMIM]CH3COO ([BMIM]Ac) extraction was developed. The method was suitable for the deep removal of sulfur (S)-containing compounds from model fuel. By this desulfurization technology, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT), dibenzothiophene (DBT), benzothiophene (BT) and thiophene (TS) were efficiently removed. Normally, the removal of TS and BT from fuel is highly difficult. However, using the proposed method of this study without any catalyst, the removal rate of TS and BT reached 99.9%. When TiO2/MCM-41 was used as a catalyst, the S-removal of DBT and 4,6-DMDBT increased to 98.6 and 95.2%, respectively. The sulfur removal activity of the four sulfur compounds decreased in the order of TS > BT >> DBT > 4,6-DMDBT.