SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DESULFURIZING GASOLINE OR DIESEL FUEL TO PRODUCE A LOW SULFUR-CONTENT FUEL FOR USE IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

摘要

A fuel processing system is disclosed that is operable to remove substantially all of the sulfur present in gasoline or diesel fuel used for operating an internal combustion engine. The fuel supply (6) is passed through a nickel reactant desulfurizer bed (8) wherein essentially all of the sulfur in organic compounds in the fuel combine with the nickel reactant in the desulfurizer bed (8), and are converted to nickel sulfide. The desulfurizing system can operate at ambient or elevated pressures. The fuel can be treated either in a liquid phase or in a vapor phase. The sulfur scrubbing can be performed either in a vehicle as illustrated by the Figure while the latter is being operated, or at a fueling station (gas station) as illustrated by Figure (2) prior to sale to the end user.