Solvent extraction is a promising method for removing
organic sulfides from fuel oils in refineries. However, selecting
an appropriate extractant requires a fundamental understanding of
liquid–liquid equilibria. In this study, we collected liquid–liquid
equilibrium (LLE) data for ternary heptane + thiophene + solvent systems
at 298.2 K and 101.3 kPa. The extraction capabilities of the selected
solvents (ethylene glycol (EG), N-formylmorpholine,
1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylacetamide, and benzyl alcohol) for separating heptane and
thiophene were assessed based on the distribution constant (D) and separation factor (S). NMP exhibited
the highest D value, whereas EG exhibited the lowest.
In contrast, the EG had the highest S value. Therefore,
to balance D and S simultaneously,
mixtures of EG and NMP at different molar ratios were used as extractants.
Molecular-level investigation into the separation mechanism was conducted
via molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations.
The enhanced S value of EG was attributed to a significant
difference in its interaction energies with thiophene and heptane,
whereas the enhanced D value of NMP resulted from
a more negative solvation-free energy upon binding thiophene. Finally,
a comparison of the thermodynamic models showed that the nonrandom
two-liquid (NRTL) model and the universal quasichemical (UNIQUAC)
model were equally suitable for correlating the experimental data
for the ternary and quaternary heptane + thiophene + solvent systems;
the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) values for the NRTL model were
all <1%, whereas the maximum RMSD value for the UNIQUAC model was
1.57%. The obtained liquid–liquid equilibrium data and mechanistic
insights can aid in improving extractive desulfurization using conventional
organic solvents toward the efficient, low-cost, and simple production
of clean fuel oils with ultralow sulfur contents.