This invention discloses methods and processes to separate sulfur hydrocarbons in petroleum refinery feedstocks via non-thermal corona-discharged air (known as cold plasma). The procedure comprises physical and chemical processes including single or multi-step oxidation of nonpolar sulfur hydrocarbons by ozone bubbling and optionally the simultaneous addition of an extremely small amount of hydrogen peroxide. This is followed by an aqueous liquid/non-aqueous liquid extraction of the oxidized compounds under conditions sufficient to extract sulfur compounds into the aqueous extractant. This process is followed by a regeneration unit for the recovery of liquid extractant material. Moreover, a cooling tower is employed to prevent exhausting the vapors of hydrocarbon feedstocks, as a form of volatile organic compounds, during the plasma bubbling process. The invention introduces a desulfurization technique that effectively separates sulfur hydrocarbons from petroleum feedstocks and fuels, offering a complementary solution to traditional hydrodesulfurization processes or serving as a standalone system.

A continuous process for producing hydrocarbon products, such as jet fuel, diesel, and naphtha, from lignin-derived materials comprising lignin oligomers, via hydrodeoxygenation in presence of catalysts under hydrogen pressure. These hydrocarbon products can then be fractionated into fuels such as naphtha, jet fuel, or diesel. Preferably, the jet fuel and diesel meet the corresponding fuel standards. Preferably, the naphtha meets key specifications of the corresponding gasoline and naphtha standards. Because lignin-derived materials are produced from biomass, the hydrocarbon products, including the jet fuel, diesel, and naphtha produced by this process, may contain up to 100% biogenic carbon.

A multi-phase combination reaction system has at least one fixed bed hydrogenation reactor. The fixed bed hydrogenation reactor has, arranged from top to bottom, a first hydrogenation reaction area, a gas-liquid separation area, a second hydrogenation reaction area and a third hydrogenation reaction area. The gas-liquid separation area is provided with a raw oil inlet. A hydrogen inlet is provided between the second hydrogenation reaction area and the third hydrogenation reaction area. The system is capable of simultaneously obtaining two fractions in one hydrogenation reactor.

An improved MFI zeolite having low aluminum occupation at intersection sites characterized by an ortho-xylene to para-xylene uptake ratio of 0.1 to about 0.55. Processes for converting hydrocarbon or oxygenate to a product comprising light olefins and/or aromatics using the improved MFI zeolite as catalyst are also disclosed. Para-xylene in the product may be greater than about 24% of the xylenes.

Methods for cracking a polyolefin are provided which comprise heating a blend comprising a polyolefin and an unsupported acidic polyoxometalate in a reaction zone of a reactor chamber, the reaction zone at a reaction temperature, while flowing a gas through the blend, to induce carbon-carbon bond cleavage in the polyolefin and form a processed blend comprising cracked hydrocarbons; passing at least a portion of the processed blend to a reflux zone of the reactor chamber, the reflux zone at a reflux temperature; and collecting the cracked hydrocarbons.