Compact self-regenerating JP-8 desulfurizer

Sulfur compounds in JP-8 are a barrier to its use in fuel cells since sulfur poisons the catalysts used in fuel cells and fuel processors. Mesoscopic Devices has developed a continuous, self-regenerating desulfurization system called the Rapid Cycle Desulfurizer™. This system processes military logistics fuel, producing an ultra-low-sulfur liquid product for fuel cell applications. With a liquid fuel product, this system can support any fuel cell or reformer technology, providing the broadest insertion of fuel cells into military systems. The desulfurizer can operate autonomously, which enables stand alone operation to support multiple distributed fuel cell generators and also greatly simplifies integration with all types of fuel cell generators as an on-board desulfurizer. This system independence also provides capacitance to support rapid start up and load following. Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of this system, which can treat high sulfur military fuels to fuel cell standards while utilizing the sulfur sorbents more efficiently than conventional fixed bed approaches. The Rapid Cycle Desulfurizer exploits three key innovations: 1) regenerable sulfur sorbents for liquid fuels, 2) a highly optimized bed arrangement, and 3) a simple and reliable device for switching the beds from desulfurization to regeneration modes. In the proposed Phase II program, Mesoscopic Devices will optimize components of the Rapid Cycle Desulfurizer with improved thermal integration and incorporating recent advances in sorbent materials. The program will build and demonstrate an optimized desulfurizer system for treating JP-8 to support 5 kW fuel cell systems.