Effect of Modified Kiln Dust and a Cationic Surfactant on the Removal of Aromatic and Heavy Metal Compounds from Fuels

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate removal of aromatic and heavy metals compounds from fuels using cement kiln dust, and a cationic surfactant. The effect of a cationic surfactant and the composition of kiln dust on the stability of fuel was studied. The optimum conditions of adsorption were investigated. The stability of fuels was improved after adsorption because of the absorption of heavy metals, which act as catalysts. The concentrations of kiln dust and additives are effective for the absorption of heteroatoms of polar and nonpolar molecules. The addition of different concentrations of the cationic surfactant to kiln dust enhances the removal of polar molecules in fuel. The relation between the efficiency of the cationic surfactant and the enhanced removal of polar molecules was established. This study suggests a new mechanism to remove polar molecules according to the structure of the additive. Several parameters that affect the performance of the removal process were investigated under all optimum conditions. A complete chemical analysis of the fuels before and after treatment was performed, and the stability of the fuel was evaluated at different conditions. The prepared additive could enhance the oil quality and is environmentally safe. The adsorption behaviour of kiln dust was investigated to find a new mechanism of its efficiency. The results confirm the role of the cationic surfactant in the purification of fuels and the effectiveness of kiln dust in improving the stability of fuels, which depend on the concentration of the cationic surfactant and the nature of the kiln dust.