Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Sorbents for Desulfurization of Gasoline Blends
EPA Contract Number: EPD07090Title: Sorbents for Desulfurization of Gasoline Blends
Investigators: Alptekin, Gokhan
Small Business: TDA Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2009
Project Amount: $225,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2007) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Pollution Prevention , Safer Chemicals , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) has developed a physical adsorbent technology to reduce the sulfur concentration of the refinery gasoline blends to low ppm levels to greatly reduce the cost of producing ultra low sulfur gasoline. TDA’s sorbent-based desulfurization system operates downstream of a conventional HDS unit in which most of the organic sulfur compounds are hydro-treated and converted to H2S, which greatly reduces the total sulfur content of the stream. Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) units are used in virtually all refineries, and do a very good job of removing most (but not all) of the sulfur. After bulk sulfur removal with HDS, TDA’s sorbent will be used to remove the remaining sulfur. The low-temperature adsorbent removes all organic sulfur compounds directly from the fuel (both gasoline and diesel fractions), reducing total fuel sulfur content to the levels required by the new EPA regulations (the sorbent is capable of reducing the sulfur content to sub ppm levels, but refineries will undoubtedly opt simply to meet the 30 ppm specification). Because the need to achieve very low sulfur levels in the HDS step is eliminated, there will be no need to operate the HDS unit at very severe operating conditions (high temperature and pressure) or use high purity hydrogen in the HDS process. The adsorbent is highly selective to sulfur; therefore, it does not bind hydrocarbons and alter the gross fuel composition or its properties. As a result, the olefin content of the stream and the octane number remain unchanged. The integration of the proposed system into the existing refinery process train is relatively easy and requires no major revamp of the existing infrastructure.
Conclusions:
In this project, TDA demonstrated the technical feasibility of using the new sorbent for desulfurization of liquid hydrocarbons using model fuels with sulfur and aromatics compositions typical of gasoline blends. TDA also demonstrated the desulfurization of a straight-cut diesel fuel. The sorbent achieved a high sulfur capacity greater than 2.5 percent weight (lb of sulfur adsorbed per lb of sorbent) for some hydrocarbons streams while reducing the sulfur concentrations to less than 1 ppmv. TDA also demonstrated that the sorbent could be regenerated by temperature swing either in an inert oxidizing or reducing gas environment. In Phase II, TDA optimized the sorbent formulation and scaled up its production. In addition, TDA demonstrated the sorbent performance in real straight-cut diesel fuel and simulated natural gasoline in collaboration with commercial partners.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, EPA, gasoline blends, hydrodesulfurization, HDS, hydrogen sulfide removal, sulfur removal technology, fuel emissions, sorbent, air pollutants, environmental pollutants, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, RFA, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, Technology, Environmental Chemistry, Treatment Technologies, clean technologies, emissions control, sorbents, emission reduction, RFA, Scientific Discipline, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, Environmental Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Treatment Technologies, Technology, Technology for Sustainable Environment, clean technologies, desulfurization of gasoline, emissions control, sorbents
SBIR Phase I:
Sorbents for Desulfurization of Gasoline BlendsThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.