Biodesulphurization of fossil fuels: energy, emissions and cost analysis

Abstract

In order to achieve stringent environmental and safety requirements, refineries are in search of "green" and cost-effective methods for crude oil desulphurization. Combined desulphurization technologies are being studied, including bioprocessing to upgrade fossil fuels. Using biodesulphurization (BDS), which is a biochemical process mediated by specific microorganisms, it is possible to desulphurize most of the hydrodesulphurization (HDS) recalcitrant sulphur compounds under mild operating conditions, making it a simple and eco-friendly process. In this study, two BDS process designs are compared, in terms of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and operational costs by following a life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) based methodology. The industrial HDS process is used as the reference technology for sulphur removal from fossil fuels. Different theoretical scenarios were considered and the best BDS results are scaled-up to evaluate a case study of providing ultra low sulphur diesel to an urban taxi fleet. This study exploits the potential of BDS as a cost-effective and ecofriendly alternative or complementary technology to the commonly HDS towards ultra low sulphur fuels.

On the road to cost-effective fossil fuel desulfurization byGordonia alkanivoransstrain 1B

“…BDS option involves a CO 2 emission reduction of 70 to 80%, smaller residue production and a lower net energy consumption, which in turn is translated in lower operational cost a in reduced capital cost, about two thirds of that for HDS. 3,13,30…”

“…Therefore, the efficiency of the desulfurization technologies becomes a key point. 3 Sulfur (S) is a major component of crude oil, along with carbon and hydrogen, ranging from 0.03 to 7.89% (g g À1 ), and between 500 and 5000 mg L À1 in the distillate fraction used to make diesel oil. 4,5 High viscosity and density crudes (such as shale oils) tend to have higher sulfur concentrations 3.09% (g g À1 ), especially in its organic forms (e.g.…”

“…In the last decade, several works have demonstrated the great potential of G. alkanivorans strain 1B towards fossil fuel BDS. 3,[7][8][9][10][11][12] However, this bioprocess still has a few limitations, such as the cost of the culture medium for the biocatalysts production. [12][13][14][15][16] In order to reduce the production costs, it is important to search for cheaper carbon sources which can contribute to produce less expensive microbial biomass.…”

Conventional and Upcoming Sulfur‐Cleaning Technologies for Petroleum Fuel: A Review

“…As mentioned previously, detailed LCA studies on emerging desulfurization technologies are rare. One example is the work of Alves and co‐workers, which examined biodesulfurization . Two biodesulfurization process designs were compared in terms of energy consumption and greenhouse‐gas emissions by following a life cycle assessment methodology.…”

“…As mentioned previously,d etailed LCA studies on emerging desulfurization technologies are rare.O ne example is the work of Alves and co-workers,w hich examined biodesulfurization. [132] Tw ob iodesulfurization process designs were compared in terms of energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissionsb yf ollowing al ife cycle assessment methodology. Theh ydrodesulfurization process was used as the reference technology.D ifferentt heoretical scenarios were considered, and the best biodesulfurization results were scaled up to evaluateacase study of providingu ltralow sulfur diesel to an urban taxi fleet;t he process was found to be ar elatively environmentally benign supplementary process capable of removing the compounds that are recalcitrant to hydrodesulfurization under mild operating conditions.Alife cycle cost analysis was also included, which indicated that the process could also be cost effective.…”