Patent ID: 6500219
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
A sulfur-depleted diesel fuel, prepared by a process comprising:(a) combining a sulfide-containing diesel fuel having a cetane index of greater than 50.0 with an aqueous fluid and a hydroperoxide and an aliphatic C15-C20 hydrocarbon to form a multiphase reaction medium; (b) continuously passing said multiphase reaction medium through an ultrasound chamber in which ultrasound is applied to said multiphase reaction medium for a time sufficient to cause oxidation of sulfides in said sulfide-containing diesel fuel to sulfones; (c) permitting said multiphase reaction medium upon emerging from said ultrasound chamber to separate spontaneously into aqueous and organic phases; and (d) isolating said organic phase from said aqueous phase, said organic phase thus isolated being said sulfur-depleted diesel fuel.