Introduction of Novel Process for Sweetening of Sour Crude Oil: Optimization of Process

The subject of this experimental report is the application of nanoparticles in petroleum refining. Sulfur removal from petroleum using carbon nanotubes is considered in this study. The properties related to the process characterization are measured experimentally and reported. The effect of low range temperature and pressure, initial concentration, interfacial velocity, the ratio of height to diameter of the bed and particle diameter on the outlet sulfur is investigated. Design of experiment is performed to show which of the controllable parameters affects the sulfur removal process and a predictive model is developed. Optimization of the model is performed with the aim that the outlet sulfur content less than 0.6 ppm is achievable. Also, the increase in the amount of pollutant higher than 50 ppm sulfur and increase in the amount of superficial velocity higher than 0.4 m/s lead the adsorption process to the improper results. Finally, cost estimation due to pressure and temperature is presented and the optimum conditions of 1.7 atm pressure and 35 °C temperature with the height to diameter ratio of three and nano carbon tubes of 50 nm for packed bed are proposed.