# US 7,744,824 B2 · On-board fuel desulfurization unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,824 B2 - Document ID: US7744824B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/387,430 - Filed: 2006-03-23 - Published: 2007-09-27 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-23 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Thomas H. Vanderspurt; Sarah J. Arsenault; Theresa A. Hugener-Campbell; Sean C. Emerson; Zidu Ma; James D. MacLeod; Susanne M. Opalka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744824B2 ## CPC - C10G 25/12: Recovery of used adsorbent - B01J 20/3441: {Regeneration or reactivation by electric current, ultrasound or irradiation, e.g. electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays, UV, light, microwaves} - H01M 8/0662: Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning - H01M 8/0675: {Removal of sulfur} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The athermal sorbent bed regeneration system of the present invention includes a main fuel supply, at least one sorbent bed, a source of microwave energy, and a secondary fuel supply. The main fuel supply has a first concentration of an impurity and the secondary fuel supply has a second concentration of the impurity that is less than the first concentration of the impurity. The sorbent bed adsorbs the impurity. The microwave energy source regenerates the sorbent bed for reuse. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An athermal sorbent bed regeneration system, the system comprising: at least one athermal sorbent bed having an inlet for receiving a fuel having a first concentration of an impurity, the sorbent bed having a sorbent for adsorbing the impurity from the fuel to produce a purified fuel having a second concentration of the impurity, wherein the sorbent bed is configured to be athermally regenerated; and a microwave energy source for athermally regenerating the sorbent bed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the microwave energy source emits electro-magnetic energy sufficient to disrupt adsorptive forces between the sorbent and the impurity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, and further comprising: a fuel cell; and a flow path directing a first portion of the purified fuel to the sorbent bed and directing a second portion of the purified fuel to the fuel cell to generate electrical energy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, and further comprising a fuel processor, wherein the flow path directs the second portion of the purified fuel to the fuel processor before it is used to generate electrical energy in the fuel cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the first portion of the purified fuel is a fluid that desorbs the impurity from the sorbent bed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the second concentration of the impurity is less than 15 parts per million by weight of the impurity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sorbent is a sulfur-adsorbing sorbent material. ### Claim 8 A system for regenerating an impurity-adsorbing sorbent bed, the system comprising: at least one athermal sorbent bed for adsorbing compounds containing an impurity, the sorbent bed configured to be athermally regenerated and receiving a purified fluid having about 100 parts per million or less by weight of the impurity for desorbing the impurity from the sorbent bed; and a microwave energy source for athermally regenerating the sorbent bed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the microwave energy source emits electro-magnetic energy sufficient to disrupt adsorptive forces between the sorbent bed and the impurity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the system is located on-board a vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the sorbent bed adsorbs compounds containing the impurity from a fluid to produce the purified fluid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the concentration of the impurity in the purified fluid is less than 15 parts per million by weight of the impurity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, and further comprising a fuel cell; wherein the purified fluid with less than 15 parts per million is reacted in the fuel cell to produce electrical energy. ### Claim 14 An athermal sorbent bed regeneration system, the system comprising: a first athermal sorbent bed having an inlet, an outlet and first sorbent for absorbing an impurity; a second athermal sorbent bed having an inlet, an outlet and a second sorbent for absorbing the impurity, the second sorbent bed connected to the outlet of the first sorbent bed; and a microwave energy source for athermally regenerating the first sorbent bed and the second sorbent bed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, and further comprising a fuel processor connected to the outlet of the first sorbent bed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first sorbent is a sulfur adsorbing sorbent. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, and further comprising a fuel that enters the first sorbent bed with a first concentration of the impurity and that exits the first sorbent bed and enters the second sorbent bed with a second concentration of the impurity, wherein the first concentration of the impurity is greater than the second concentration of the impurity, and wherein the fuel with the second concentration of the impurity is a fluid that desorbs the impurity from the second sorbent bed during a regeneration process.