Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid phase adsorption process for removing and concentrating heteroatom compounds in hydrocarbons (HCH), comprising the steps of adsorption, copurging and regeneration. In the adsorption step, a liquid hydrocarbon stream is fed to an adsorber, which adsorbs HCH and returns adsorption effluent. In the copurging step, HCH, which are extracted from the previous regeneration, are applied to the adsorber, displacing the copurging effluent. In the regeneration step, a polar solvent is flowed through the adsorber, purging HCH. Most of the HCH are then set aside for use in the next copuring step, while a small amount of the HCH are taken out from the process as HCH product. The present invention is economically advantageous in effectively removing HCH from hydrocarbon streams and increasing the concentration of HCH within an HCH product.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing cleaner fuels, in which NPC (Natural Polar Compounds), naturally existing in small quantities within various petrolic hydrocarbon fractions, are removed from the petrolic hydrocarbon fractions ranging, in boiling point, from 110 to 560° C. and preferably from 200 to 400° C., in advance of catalytic hydroprocessing. The removal of NPC improves the efficiency of the catalytic process and produces environment-friendly products, such as diesel fuel with a sulfur content of 50 ppm (wt) or lower. Also, the NPC can be used to improve fuel lubricity.