Sulfolane: Magic Extractor or Bad Actor? Pilot-Scale Study on Solvent Corrosion Potential

Andrzej Bak, Violetta Kozik, Paulina Dybal, Slawomir Kus, Aleksandra Swietlicka and Josef Jampilek
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Andrzej Bak: Department of Synthesis Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40007 Katowice, Poland
Violetta Kozik: Department of Synthesis Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40007 Katowice, Poland
Paulina Dybal: Department of Synthesis Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40007 Katowice, Poland
Slawomir Kus: Honeywell Process Solutions, 11201 Greens Crossing Blvd, Suite 700 Houston, TX 77067, USA
Aleksandra Swietlicka: Department of Synthesis Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40007 Katowice, Poland
Josef Jampilek: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University, Odbojarov 10, 83232 Bratislava, Slovakia

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: The sulfur-containing derivatives and their metabolites, regarded as ‘old devils of green’ chemistry, constitute a relevant class of air/water/soil contaminants in over-polluted world. In fact, some industrially-engineered solvents have become environmentally unfavorable. An attractive alternative to commonly used industrial liquids is sulfolane (C 4 H 8 SO 2 ), an anthropogenic medium. The main objective of this paper is the comprehensive review focusing mainly on the state-of-the-art aspects of the sulfolane synthesis, application of sulfolane as an extractive solvent due to its ‘unique’ physicochemical properties as well as the potential of sulfolane to cause equipment corrosion and subsequent spills. The potential risk for groundwater contamination, danger for human health and ways of sulfolane biodegradation were briefly reviewed as well. Interestingly, the analysis performed on data stored in the Reaxys database revealed an alternating tendency of waxing and waning interest in sulfolane during the space of the last fifty years. Moreover, the primary goal of the presented case study was to verify applicability of industrial, multi-electrochemical technique for reliable detection of corrosion in low conductive process fluids. Several aspects of corrosion measurement including the impact of process parameters (temperature) and impurities (oxygen and chlorides) on stainless steel corrosion in pure sulfolane were investigated briefly.

Keywords: sulfolane; aprotic solvent; liquid extraction; biodegradation; on-line corrosion monitoring; electrochemical techniques (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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