US 12,258,524 B2
Fuel processing system and method for sulfur bearing fuels
Paul E. George, II, Powell, OH (US); Vincent J. Contini, Powell, OH (US); Greg A. Whyatt, West Richland, WA (US); and Douglas A. Thornton, Columbus, OH (US)
Assigned to BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, Columbus, OH (US)
Filed by Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/164,276.
Application 17/164,276 is a continuation of application No. 16/284,077, filed on Feb. 25, 2019, granted, now 10,941,359.
Application 16/284,077 is a continuation of application No. 13/272,865, filed on Oct. 13, 2011, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/392,698, filed on Oct. 13, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2021/0155859 A1, May 27, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C10G 67/06 (2006.01); B01J 8/04 (2006.01); C01B 3/34 (2006.01); C01B 3/48 (2006.01); C01B 3/50 (2006.01); C10G 25/00 (2006.01); C10G 45/02 (2006.01); C10G 49/00 (2006.01); H01M 8/0612 (2016.01); H01M 8/0662 (2016.01)
CPC C10G 67/06 (2013.01) [B01J 8/04 (2013.01); B01J 8/0496 (2013.01); C01B 3/34 (2013.01); C01B 3/48 (2013.01); C01B 3/501 (2013.01); C01B 3/506 (2013.01); C10G 25/003 (2013.01); C10G 45/02 (2013.01); C10G 49/007 (2013.01); H01M 8/0618 (2013.01); H01M 8/0675 (2013.01); H01M 8/0687 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00504 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0233 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0405 (2013.01); C01B 2203/065 (2013.01); C01B 2203/066 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0811 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0822 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0827 (2013.01); C01B 2203/127 (2013.01); C10G 2300/104 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1044 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1051 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1055 (2013.01); C10G 2300/202 (2013.01); C10G 2300/207 (2013.01); C10G 2400/02 (2013.01); C10G 2400/04 (2013.01); C10G 2400/08 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A fuel processing method for processing a sulfur bearing fuel, the fuel processing method comprising:
using one or more hydrodesulfurization reactors each comprising a catalyst bed, catalyzing organic sulfur compounds in sulfur bearing fuel to form a gaseous mixture of fuel and sulfur or a sulfur containing species;
using an adsorbent bed connected to receive the gaseous mixture of the fuel and the sulfur or sulfur containing species and to remove the sulfur or sulfur containing species from the gaseous mixture by adsorbing the sulfur or sulfur containing species;
using a clean fuel condenser, condensing the gaseous mixture into clean fuel after removal of the sulfur or sulfur containing species by the adsorbent bed; and
using a steam reformer, combining the clean fuel with steam to generate at least one reformate stream; and
passing the at least one reformate stream through a steam superheater to reduce the temperature of the at least one reformate stream and to superheat vaporized water to form the steam that is combined with the clean fuel;
wherein the at least one reformate stream exiting the steam superheater includes a first reformate stream that feeds a water gas shift reactor, and a second reformate stream that feeds a recuperator; and
cooling the second reformate stream in the recuperator, passing the second reformate steam through a reformate condenser, reheating the second reformate stream in the recuperator, and then supplying the second reformate stream to at least one of the one or more hydrodesulfurization reactors.