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Disulfide Oil Fractionation Unit (DSO)

Merox™ process, developed by UOP, is used in oil refineries and natural gas processing plants to
remove mercaptans from LPG, propane, butanes, light naphtha, kerosene and jet fuel.

Light hydrocarbons such as C3 and C4 can be treated with caustic soda to separate light mercaptans.
The following reaction takes place in the process:

RSH + NaOH ----> NaSR + H2O

DSO (Disulfide Oil) is a clear to yellow liquid mixture that is produced by oxidation of sodium
mercaptides. A rich caustic is also recovered for reusing as the following reaction:

4NaSR + 2H2O + O2 ----> 2RSSR + 4NaOH

Mercaptans as DSO are insoluble in water and can be separated from the rich caustic solution.
Disulfides are often withdrawn from the separator and then routed to fuel storage or to a hydrotreater
unit.
In our customized process, DSO is stored and sent to separation columns after drying. Separation
columns are designed to produce dimethyldisulfide (DMDS), ethylmethyldisulfide (EMDS) and
diethyldisulfide (DEDS) as final products. These components, in mixture form, are harmful to the
environment, but when separated have economic value as feed stock to the petrochemical processes.
Heaviest part of DSO is sent out as fuel.

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http://www.pontisenergy.com/DSO.htm 11/9/2010