Patent attributes
In some embodiments, the invention is a method of removing sulfur from a hydrocarbon feed using the steps of dissolving metallic sodium in a first solvent, combining the sodium/first solvent solution with a sulfur-free alkane or cycloalkane second solvent, vaporizing the first solvent from sodium/first solvent/second solvent combination to transfer the dissolved metallic sodium into the second solvent, and then combine the resultant liquid with a liquid hydrocarbon feed containing an organosulfur species. The resulting stream is combined with a hydrogen donor. The combination is heated and pressurized to form a liquid hydrocarbon product containing sodium sulfide. The liquid hydrocarbon product containing sodium sulfide is then cooled, and the sodium sulfide is extracted.
