Patent ID: 7153414

Claim:
A process for the upgrading of raw hydrocarbon streams by oxidation and/or inertization of sulfur, nitrogen, conjugated dienes and other unsaturated compounds from raw hydrocarbon streams rich in heteroatomic polar compounds and/or unsaturated moieties in the presence of a peroxide solution/organic acid couple and a pulverized raw iron oxide catalyst at atmospheric pressure, under equal or higher than ambient temperature, wherein said process comprises the following steps: a) oxidizing sulfur, nitrogen, conjugated dienes and unsaturated compounds present in said raw hydrocarbon streams by admixing, under agitation, said organic acid and said peroxide, the weight percent of the peroxide solution and organic acid based on raw hydrocarbon being at least 3 and 4 respectively, then adding said raw hydrocarbon stream containing sulfur, nitrogen, conjugated dienes and unsaturated compounds and then the raw iron oxide catalyst, pulverized and dried to a granulometry lower than 0.177 mm, in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 weight % based on the weight of raw hydrocarbon, at a pH between 1.0 and 6.0, the reaction being carried out under reflux of vaporized hydrocarbon, for the period of time required to effect the extractive oxidation and obtaining a hydrocarbon stream wherefrom the sulfur, nitrogen, conjugated dienes and unsaturated compounds have been partially oxidized and simultaneously extracted by the aqueous oxidant slurry, yielding a lower aqueous slurry phase and an upper oxidized hydrocarbon phase; b) after the end of said extractive oxidation, separating the upper hydrocarbon phase, neutralizing and water washing same, filtering and drying; c) recovering said treated, odorless, clear yellowish and stable hydrocarbon phase wherefrom the total nitrogen compounds have been removed up to 90% by weight, basic nitrogen compounds have been removed up to 99.7% by weight, conjugated diene compounds have been removed up to 22% by weight, and sulfur compounds have been removed up to 13% by weight, followed by olefin removal ranging from 4% to 16 weight %, all percentages being based on the original feedstock content.