Desiulphiirization of Urn Al Nar Refinery Straight-run Kerosene and Gas Oil Using Palm Fruit Kernel Activated Charcoal: A Locally-made Adsorbent

摘要

Desulphurization of Urn Al Nar Refinery straight-run kerosene and gas oil has been investigated using adsorption techniques. Palm fruit kernel activated charcoal (PFKAC), a locally-made adsorbent, has been used for the adsorption of sulphur compounds in batch tests over a range of initial sulphur concentrations at 25°C and adsorbent particle size < 75 um. The results revealed the potential of PFKAC as a low-cost adsorbent. PFKAC showed a higher capac-ity for sulphur at gas oil concentrations than in the case of kerosene. The experimental isothermal data were correlated to the Freundlich model. Values of the Freundlich exponent, n, were > 1 indicating that sulphur compounds are favour-ably adsorbed on PFKAC. The Langmuir model also fitted the experimental data. A correlation has been developed for fitting Ihe experimental data and has been found to be reasonably good.