Sulfur removal of commerical transportation fuels over a nickel based adsorbent

Researchers at Penn State University are working to remove the sulfur compounds from transportation fuels via a process called 'Selective Adsorption for Removing Sulfur' (PSU-SARS). A variety of new adsorbents are being tested, including zeolites, mixed oxides, supported metal compounds, activated carbon, and others. The nickel-based adsorbent, A-5, was packed in a stainless-steel adsorption column with dimensions of 4.6mm×150mm. The nickel-based adsorbent, A-5, shows high sulfur removal capacity to remove sulfur to less than 30 ppmw for diesel and JP-8. A-5 does not have any capacity to remove sulfur in diesel fuel to less than 1 ppmw. A-5 has high capacity to remove sulfur in JP-8 to less than 1 ppmw, with capacities of 5.07 mg-S/g-A.