A method for finishing hydrotreated diesel fuel to remove sulfur compounds in two stages is described. In the first stage, sulfur compounds remaining in the fuel are oxidized into sulfones with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of molybdenum compounds and in the second stage, the sulfones are decomposed into sulfur dioxide and hydrocarbon on aluminosilicate catalyst. The fuel obtained satisfies the new European standards for sulfur content.Most European states have switched to using diesel fuels that satisfy the requirements of EN 590 for the sulfur content: a maximum of 350 ppm [1]. These requirements are even stiffer in the USA [2]. Domestic diesel fuels after hydrotreating units contain 500-2000 ppm total sulfur [3]. In this respect, developing better and cheaper methods of treating fuels with oxidation reactions is very urgent [4].We previously [5] described a method for finishing hydrotreated diesel fuel to remove sulfur in two stages. In the first stage, the sulfur compounds remaining in the hydrogenation product are oxidized into sulfones with hydrogen peroxide in foam-emulsion conditions in the presence of acids, and in the second stage, the sulfones are extracted from the oxidate by adsorption with silica gel. However, the acids used as catalyst corrode the equipment, and controlling this corrosion requires additional outlays, which makes industrial introduction of the process difficult. In addition, in treating the oxidate to remove sulfones, difficult to utilize spent adsorbent is formed.To eliminate acids and spent adsorbent from the technology, oxidation of the sulfur compounds in the hydrogenation product into sulfones with hydrogen peroxide was investigated in foam-emulsion conditions in the presence of metal compounds, followed by catalytic decomposition of the sulfones into sulfur dioxide and a hydrocarbon.The experimental foam-emulsion oxidation setup was described in [6]. The feedstock was loaded together with the catalyst into the reactor with air feed and as the assigned temperature was attained, hydrogen peroxide

A simple and ecological two-stage method of removing sulfur from hydrotreated diesel fuel is described.In the first stage, the sulfur compounds left in the fuel are oxidized by hydrogen peroxide into sulfones, and in the second stage, the sulfones formed are extracted from the oxidation product by adsorption with silica gel. The diesel fuel obtained with this method satisfies the new European standards for sulfur content.The current world market imposes stiff requirements on the quality of diesel fuels. Most European governments have switched to use of diesel fuels that satisfy the requirements of standard EN 590 for sulfur content: maximum of 350 ppm. EU countries must manufacture fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 50 ppm by June 1, 2005 [1]. Stiffer requirements are being established by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in

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