Fluidized Bed Desulfurization with Zinc Oxide Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional desulfurization processes face inefficiencies in removing sulfur from hydrocarbon fluids, particularly in maintaining the valence state of promoter metals and optimizing solid particle circulation for continuous sulfur removal.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a desulfurization unit with a fluidized bed reactor, regenerator, and reducer, using zinc oxide-based solid particles with a reduced-valence promoter metal component and porosity enhancer, which are circulated through various zones to efficiently remove sulfur from hydrocarbon fluids, regenerate, and reduce the promoter metal valence, ensuring effective sulfur removal and particle attrition resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional desulfurization processes are used, then sulfur removal is achieved, but the promoter metal valence state is not maintained and particle attrition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the temperature, pressure, and gas flow rates in the fluidized bed reactor to maintain the promoter metal in a reduced valence state. The operating conditions are optimized to prevent oxidation of the promoter metal while ensuring effective sulfur removal, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining valence state and reducing particle attrition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining zinc oxide with specific promoter metals (nickel, cobalt, iron, manganese, tungsten, silver, gold, copper, platinum, zinc, tin, ruthenium, molybdenum, antimony, vanadium, iridium, chromium, palladium) in a controlled ratio. This composite structure allows the promoter metal to remain in a reduced valence state while maintaining high sulfur removal activity and particle stability, addressing both reliability and particle attrition concerns.
2Productivity
If solid particles are circulated through multiple zones, then continuous sulfur removal is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the desulfurization, regeneration, and reduction functions into an integrated fluidized bed system where solid particles circulate between multiple zones. The desulfurization zone, regenerator, and reducer are combined in a coordinated arrangement that allows continuous operation without requiring separate discrete units for each function, thus achieving continuous sulfur removal while managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by maintaining continuous circulation of solid particles through the desulfurization zone, regenerator, and reducer. The fluidized bed system ensures that particles are continuously regenerated and reduced, allowing uninterrupted sulfur removal from the hydrocarbon feed stream, thereby achieving high productivity with manageable system complexity.
3Productivity
If reduced-valence promoter metal is used, then sulfur removal efficiency is improved, but maintaining the reduced state requires additional reduction zone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by incorporating a reduction zone that continuously maintains the promoter metal in a reduced valence state. The reduction zone receives oxidized particles from the regenerator and reduces them back to the active reduced state, ensuring continuous availability of reduced-promoter metal for sulfur removal, thus achieving high efficiency while managing the added complexity through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes in the reduction zone by controlling temperature, pressure, and reducing gas composition to maintain the promoter metal in a reduced valence state. These optimized parameters ensure that the promoter metal remains catalytically active for sulfur removal while the system manages the complexity of adding a reduction zone through efficient integration with the regenerator and desulfurization zone.
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
This method achieves continuous sulfur removal from hydrocarbon fluids with reduced sulfur content in the effluent, maintaining the promoter metal's reduced valence state and minimizing particle attrition, thus enhancing desulfurization efficiency and operational stability.
Implementation Method 1
contacting said hydrocarbon-containing fluid with solid particles in a desulfurization zone under desulfurization conditions sufficient to remove sulfur from said hydrocarbon-containing fluid
Implementation Method 2
contacting said sulfur loaded solid particles with an oxygen-containing regeneration stream in said regeneration zone under regeneration conditions sufficient to remove sulfur from said sulfur loaded solid particles
Implementation Method 3
contacting said regenerated solid particles with a hydrogen-containing reducing stream in said reducing zone under reducing conditions sufficient to reduce said solid particles
Data Source
AI summary
A system which circulates fluidizable solid particles through a fluidized bed reactor, a fluidized bed regenerator, and a fluidized bed reducer to thereby provide for substantially continuous desulfurization of a hydrocarbon-containing fluid stream and substantially continuous regeneration of the solid particles is disclosed.