The MTBE desulfurizer always seems to not work well
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Our company’s MTBE plant requires the use of a desulfurization agent. On a few occasions, the operator responsible for this process turned off the desulfurization agent, yet there was no change in the sulfur content. I would like to ask whether it is necessary to use this desulfurization agent at all. In our company, we add only a small amount of it at a time, which is quite troublesome; should we add a larger amount all at once so that it can be released gradually?
Does your plant use a side-line extraction plus stripping tower process, or a process in which MTBE from the bottom of the tower is directly fed into the desulfurization tower?
The first technical modification involving the extraction via a side stream had no significant effect on reducing the sulfur content in MTBE; the modification failed! Then it was dismantled, and a new desulfurization tower was built. MTBE at the bottom of the tower was fed directly into this tower for distillation; (sometimes a small amount of gasoline was added to the feed in order to raise the temperature at the bottom of the desulfurization tower). Low-sulfur MTBE was obtained at the top of the tower, while the high-sulfur, heavy components at the bottom were discharged periodically. Initially, it was also planned to add a desulfurizer, but in the end that was omitted and only some gasoline was added. . . . . .
First, conduct pilot tests in the laboratory to confirm whether desulfurization is effective; if it is not effective, then analyze the sulfur composition in MTBE and select a different desulfurizing agent.
1. Where have you discharged the high-sulfur substances from the bottom of the desulfurization tower? 2. What is the sulfur content in your MTBE? Is it below the 10PPM threshold required by National Standard V? 3. Does the desulfurization tower require steam for heating? How much should I use?
High-sulfur materials have been discharged into the light polluted oil system； Generally, if control is proper, the level stays below 10PPM; in rare cases, levels may exceed this limit due to issues with the feed material. In the tank area, there are two MTBE tanks, and when high-sulfur MTBE is detected, it is necessary to contact the dispatch team promptly to replace the affected tank (a process similar to that used for checking benzene tanks) ； The desulfurization tower is the same as a regular distillation tower, and it has a reboiler. Our plant has a capacity of 50,000 tons per year; under normal operating conditions, the utilization rate is around 60-70%. The feed to the desulfurization tower is 3.5 tons per hour, while the steam output from the bottom of the tower is approximately 0.85 tons per hour