Gas Desulfurizing Agent with Nickel and Rhenium for Low-Temperature Sulfur Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current desulfurizing methods for steam reforming processes are inadequate in achieving high desulfurizing performance at low temperatures and maintaining effectiveness over extended periods, especially in restricted space and replacement scenarios like fuel cells, with existing agents either having limited capacity or causing carbon deposition.
Innovation Solution
A gas desulfurizing agent comprising zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, copper, nickel, and rhenium, which is reduced in the presence of hydrogen to enhance desulfurization capacity and maintain performance at low temperatures, allowing for efficient sulfur compound removal from gas streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If adsorptive desulfurization is used at normal temperature, then energy consumption is reduced, but desulfurizing ability per volume is limited and performance decreases if gas contains water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from normal temperature to elevated temperature range (100-400°C) to enhance the desulfurizing ability per volume while maintaining reasonable energy consumption. This parameter change allows the desulfurizing agent to achieve higher sulfur removal capacity without requiring excessive energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite desulfurizing agent containing multiple metal components (Cu, Zn, Al, Ni, Mo, Ru, Rh, Ir, Pt) combined with oxide supports. This composite structure synergistically improves both the desulfurizing ability per volume and water resistance while operating at elevated temperatures, resolving the contradiction between energy consumption and desulfurizing capacity.
2Manufacturing precision
If ultra-high-level desulfurization is performed at 100-400°C, then sulfur content is reduced to 1 ppb or lower, but a large amount of desulfurizing agent is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the temperature parameter within the 100-400°C range to achieve maximum desulfurizing efficiency per unit volume of agent. By carefully controlling this parameter, the system achieves 1 ppb or lower sulfur content while minimizing the required amount of desulfurizing agent through enhanced reaction kinetics and adsorption capacity at elevated temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-metal composite desulfurizing agent (containing Cu, Zn, Al, Ni, Mo, and precious metals Ru, Rh, Ir, Pt) provides synergistic effects that dramatically increase the sulfur removal capacity per unit volume. This composite structure allows achieving 1 ppb or lower sulfur content with a smaller amount of agent compared to single-metal systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If hydrodesulfurization is performed with Co-Mo or Ni-Mo catalyst, then sulfur is removed through hydrogenolysis, but the process requires hydrogen addition and zinc oxide adsorption reaches equilibrium leaving trace sulfur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters by operating at elevated temperatures (100-400°C) and utilizing a different mechanistic approach that reduces dependence on hydrogen consumption. The desulfurizing agent facilitates sulfur removal through adsorption and chemical reaction pathways that are less hydrogen-intensive while achieving comparable or superior sulfur removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and utilizes precious metal components (Ru, Rh, Ir, Pt) within the composite desulfurizing agent to provide alternative catalytic pathways for sulfur removal. These extracted metal functions enable efficient desulfurization with reduced hydrogen consumption compared to conventional Co-Mo or Ni-Mo hydrodesulfurization processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The agent achieves high desulfurizing performance at low temperatures, maintaining low sulfur compound concentrations for extended periods with a small amount of desulfurizing agent, effectively treating gas streams for an extended duration without significant carbon deposition.
Implementation Method 1
Adsorptive desulfurization involves adsorbing and removing a sulfur compound at a normal temperature with use of a zeolite containing a transition metal such as Ag or Cu
Implementation Method 2
The steam reforming reaction involves use of a catalyst including, for example, Ni and/or Ru supported by a heat-resistant inorganic oxide
Implementation Method 3
Hydrodesulfurization is a method that includes causing an organosulfur compound in a hydrocarbon raw material to react with hydrogen with use of a Co—Mo-based or Ni—Mo-based catalyst for hydrogenolysis
Implementation Method 4
causing hydrogen sulfide produced to be adsorbed on zinc oxide for removal
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are high-performance gas desulfurizing agent and desulfurizing method each of which has a high desulfurizing ability even at low temperatures and keeps its desulfurizing performance for an extended period of time. The gas desulfurizing agent includes zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, and copper, the desulfurizing agent further including nickel in an amount of 1.0% by mass to 10% by mass and rhenium in an amount of 0.1% by mass to 1.0% by mass. The gas desulfurizing method includes bringing the desulfurizing agent into contact with gas in coexistence of hydrogen to decompose a sulfur compound in the gas and remove the sulfur compound from the gas.