Liquid Fuel On-Board Desulfurization Systems and Methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for removing sulfur from a liquid fuel feedstock, the system including a single-piece desulfurization reactor for producing a desulfurized liquid fuel stream, the single-piece desulfurization reactor including a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, a helical fuel path in fluid communication with the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, wherein the helical fuel path includes a metal oxide sorbent material, a reactor core formed within the single piece desulfurization reactor configured to externally receive at least one heating element, wherein the helical fuel path is formed around the reactor core, and a heat exchanger for cooling the desulfurized liquid fuel stream in fluid communication with the fuel outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A single-piece desulfurization reactor comprising:
 a fuel inlet,   a fuel outlet,   a helical fuel path in fluid communication with the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, wherein the helical fuel path includes a metal oxide sorbent material,   a reactor core formed within the single-piece desulfurization reactor configured to externally receive a heating element, wherein the helical fuel path is formed around the reactor core.   
     
     
         2 . The single-piece desulfurization reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the helical fuel path comprises:
 a single-helical reactor portion including the metal oxide sorbent material formed around the reactor core, and one or more heat exchange portions comprising a double-helical portion formed around the single-helical portion in fluid communication with the fuel inlet, the single-helical reactor portion, and the fuel outlet.   
     
     
         3 . The single-piece desulfurization reactor of  claim 1 , wherein a liquid fuel feedstock cannot bypass a portion of the helical fuel path within the single-piece desulfurization reactor. 
     
     
         4 . The single-piece desulfurization reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide sorbent material comprises nickel oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The single-piece desulfurization reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide sorbent material is activated. 
     
     
         6 . The single-piece desulfurization reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the single-piece desulfurization reactor produces a treated output including 15 ppm w  sulfur or less. 
     
     
         7 . A system for removing sulfur from a liquid fuel feedstock, the system comprising:
 a single-piece desulfurization reactor for producing a desulfurized liquid fuel stream, the single-piece desulfurization reactor comprising:
 a fuel inlet, 
 a fuel outlet, 
 a helical fuel path in fluid communication with the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, wherein the helical fuel path includes a metal oxide sorbent material, 
 a reactor core formed within the single piece desulfurization reactor configured to externally receive at least one heating element, wherein the helical fuel path is formed around the reactor core; 
   a heat exchanger for cooling the desulfurized liquid fuel stream in fluid communication with the fuel outlet.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the helical fuel path comprises:
 a single-helical reactor portion including the metal oxide sorbent material formed around the reactor core, and one or more heat exchange portions comprising a double-helical portion formed around the single-helical portion in fluid communication with the fuel inlet, the single-helical reactor portion, and the fuel outlet.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger is a condenser, wherein the condenser removes heat from the desulfurized liquid fuel stream via heat exchange with a water stream, wherein after removing heat from the desulfurized liquid fuel stream a warmed water stream is produced. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a fan and a tube-in-tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the tube-in-tube heat exchanger comprises an interior tube positioned within an exterior tube, wherein the interior tube includes an interior inlet in fluid communication with the liquid fuel feedstock and an interior outlet in fluid communication with the fuel inlet of the reactor, wherein the exterior tube includes an exterior inlet in fluid communication with the fuel outlet of the reactor, and an exterior outlet in fluid communication with a desulfurized fuel reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the tube-in-tube heat exchanger is configured for counter-current flow with the interior inlet and exterior outlet being collocated at a first end of the tube-in-tube heat exchanger and the interior outlet and exterior inlet being collocated at a second end of the tube-in-tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system excludes any further heating source apart from the at least one heating element in the reactor core. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the tube-in-tube heat exchanger further includes an external fan for moving air across the tube-in-tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising an activation and regeneration system comprising a source of nitrogen gas, hydrogen gas, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein one or more additional single-piece desulfurization reactors in fluid communication with the liquid fuel feedstock. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the single-piece desulfurization reactors and the one or more additional single-piece desulfurization reactors are independently controlled to provide continuously produce the desulfurized fuel stream. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the single-piece desulfurization reactor is configured for quick-replacement by one of the at least one or more additional single-piece desulfurization reactors to maintain continuous production of the desulfurized liquid fuel stream. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the liquid fuel feedstock comprises JP- 8  fuel. 
     
     
         20 . A method of removing sulfur from a liquid fuel feedstock, the method comprising:
 providing the liquid fuel feedstock to the single-piece desulfurization reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel feedstock is in fluid communication with the fuel inlet;   flowing the liquid fuel feed stock through the helical fuel path to contact the metal oxide sorbent material;   controlling a temperature of a heating element located with the reactor core;   controlling a pressure within the single-piece desulfurization reactor; and   collecting a desulfurized liquid fuel stream produced by the single-piece desulfurization reactor from the fuel outlet.