Sorbent compositions and desulfurization method using same

Abstract

The disclosed sorbents are for adsorbing sulfur compounds, particularly sulfur-containing aromatic compounds, from liquid hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline, cracked gasoline, diesel, high sulfur liquid fossil fuels, ultra-low sulfur fuel (ULSF) in fuel cell applications, and mixtures thereof. The sorbent compositions comprise one or more silicates having one or more metal nitrates admixed together. The one or more metal nitrates include iron (II) or (III), zinc (II), cadmium (II) and mercury (II) nitrate. The method of preparing and using the sorbents is also provided.

1 . A powdered desulfurization sorbent comprising: 
 one or more silicates;    one or more active sulfur-affinitive metal cations; and    one or more nitrates as counter anions and oxidizing species.    
     
     
         2 . The desulfurization sorbent of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more silicates are selected from the group consisting of clays such as montmorillonite, laumonite, bentonite, Mica, vermiculite and kaolinite, and from silica gels, natural and synthetic molecular sieves, zeolites, and activated alumina.  
     
     
         3 . The desulfurization sorbent of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more silicates have a particle size ranging from about ten to about one hundred micrometers.  
     
     
         4 . The desulfurization sorbent of  claim 1 , wherein the desulfurization sorbent has an average surface area of about 50 to about 350 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         5 . The desulfurization sorbent of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more active sulfur-affinitive metal cations are selected from the group consisting of iron (II) or (III), zinc (II), cadmium (II) and mercury (II).  
     
     
         6 . A powdered sorbent composition consisting essentially of: 
 one or more silicates selected from the group consisting of clays such as montmorillonite, laumonite, bentonite, Mica, vermiculite and kaolinite, and from silica gels, natural and synthetic molecular sieves, zeolites, and activated alumina;    One or more cations from    a bivalent iron ion,    a trivalent iron ion,    a bivalent cadmium ion,    a bivalent zinc ion,    a bivalent mercury ion; and    a nitrate anion.    
     
     
         7 . A powdered sorbent composition for desulfurization made by admixing an effective amount of: 
 Sulfur-affinitive metal nitrates with one or more silicates in powdered form.    
     
     
         8 . The sorbent composition of  claim 7 , wherein the sorbent composition has about 5% to about 35% of sulfur-affinitive metal nitrates.  
     
     
         9 - 17 . (canceled)