DESULFURIZATION OF HEAVY HYDROCARBONS AND CONVERSION OF RESULTING HYDROSULFIDES UTILIZING A TRANSITION METAL OXIDE

摘要

The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreamswith alkali metal compounds andregenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a transition metaloxide. The present invention employs the use of atransition metal oxide, preferably copper oxide, in order to convert spentalkali metal hydrosulfides in the regeneration of the alkalihydroxide compounds for reutilization in the desulfurization process for thehydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferredembodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which may bedetrimental to the overall desulfurization process andrelated equipment are removed from the regenerated alkali metal stream.