Arak University Colloid & Nanoscience Journal 2980-9215 3 1 2025 04 01 Integration of deasphalting and oxidative desulfurization processes for heavy fuel oil desulfurization 563 571 729740 10.61882/CNJ.3.1.563 EN Reza Mokhtar Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Iran Samaneh Bandehali Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ayatollah Boroujerdi University, Iran Journal Article 2025 07 26 In this study, a combined process consisting of solvent de-asphalting followed by continuous ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) was applied for the treatment of heavy fuel oil (HFO). Acetic acid (99 wt.%) and hydrogen peroxide (35 vol.%) were employed as the catalyst and oxidant, respectively. n-Heptane and n-hexane were tested as de-asphalting solvents, while methanol and acetonitrile were used as extraction solvents in the liquid–liquid separation stage. The integrated process exhibited high efficiency in sulfur removal, reducing the sulfur content of HFO to below 5000 ppm. The most effective performance was obtained when n-heptane was used for de-asphalting, combined with ultrasonic desulfurization and subsequent extraction with methanol, which lowered the sulfur content to approximately 5292 ppm. https://cnj.araku.ac.ir/article_729740_b77fa228a4365e21924c0bbb0ac1c09d.pdf