Patent ID: 8574428
Filing Date: 2013-11-05
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
1. A process for removing sulfur from a liquid hydrocarbon feed, comprising the steps of: (a) dissolving metallic sodium in a first solvent to form a solution of sodium atoms; (b) combining the solution of sodium atoms with second solvent to form a combined stream, wherein the combination occurs at a temperature of addition and at a pressure above the vapor pressure of the first solvent used to dissolve the metallic sodium at the temperature of addition; (c) vaporizing the first solvent from the combined stream to create a reduced combined stream; (d) dispersing the reduced combined stream into a liquid hydrocarbon feed stream comprising organosulfur species to form a hydrocarbon feed stream; (e) passing the hydrocarbon feed stream into a pressurized reactor vessel in addition to a hydrogen-donor stream; (f) reacting the hydrocarbon feed and hydrogen-donor streams to form a modified composition comprising sodium sulfide and less organosulfur species than previously present in the hydrocarbon feed stream, wherein the reaction occurs for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature; and (g) processing the sodium sulfide in a sodium sulfur cell to regenerate elemental sodium.