High-capacity sulfur adsorbent bed and gas desulfurization method

A fuel processing system comprising:

• a first adsorbent bed for adsorption of inorganic sulfur-containing compounds and high molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds;
• a second adsorbent bed for adsorption of low molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds are disposed within a common reaction vessel;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds operate at a temperature between 50 and 120° F. and a pressure between 10 and 100 psig.

A fuel processing method for processing fuel for a fuel cell comprising the steps of:

• providing a mixture of fuel and sulfur-containing compounds;
• adsorbing from said mixture inorganic sulfur-containing compounds and high molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds using a first adsorbent bed;
• adsorbing from said mixture low molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds using a second adsorbent bed;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds being disposed so that said mixture of fuel and sulfur-containing compounds passes through one of said first and second adsorbent beds and, thereafter through the other of said first and second adsorbent beds;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds operate at a temperature between 50 and 120° F. and a pressure between 10 and 100 psig.

A fuel processing method for processing fuel comprising the steps of:

• providing a mixture of fuel and sulfur-containing compounds;
• absorbing from said mixture inorganic sulfur-containing compounds and high molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds using a first adsorbent bed;
• adsorbing from said mixture low molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds using a second adsorbent bed;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds are disposed within a common reaction vessel;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds operate at a temperature between 50 and 120° F. and a pressure between 10 and 100 psig.

A fuel processing system comprising:

• a first adsorbent bed and a third adsorbent bed for adsorption of inorganic sulfur-containing compounds and high molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds;
• a second adsorbent bed and a fourth adsorbent bed for adsorption of low molecular weight organic sulfur-containing compounds;
• a conduit and valve assembly;
• wherein said first and second adsorbent beds are disposed in a first common reaction vessel and are arranged such that the fuel to be processed passes through said first adsorbent bed, and thereafter through said second adsorbent bed, and said third and fourth adsorbent beds are disposed in a second common reaction vessel and are arranged such that the fuel to be processed passes through said third adsorbent bed, and thereafter through said fourth adsorbent bed;
• wherein said conduit and valve assembly is such that said first common reaction vessel and said second common reaction vessel can be connected in a lead lag system such that the fuel to be processed passes through one of said first and second common reaction vessels while the other of said first and second common reaction vessels is in lag mode and such that when said one of said first and second common reaction vessels is exhausted, the fuel to be processed is redirected to said other of said first and second common reaction vessels.