A documentary on catalytic adsorption, and how it can be used for sulfur polishing to improve refinery margins.
Executive Summary
Refiners already have facilities to remove sulfur. The problem is that the last few ppm are usually the most expensive to remove. In gasoline, the penalty is octane. In diesel, the cost is hydrogen consumption, catalyst life, and loss of yield. In LPG destined for HF or H2SO4 alkylation units, sulfur results in acid consumption, Acid Soluble Oil (ASO) formation, corrosion, and alkylate quality loss. In fuel gas, sulfur limits how much heat can be recovered from fired heaters, because operators have to stay above the acid dew point.
This is where NanoSØRB™ fits. It is not intended to replace every sulfur-removal system in a refinery. The best use is case-specific: let the existing HDS, amine and caustic units do the bulk job, and then use NanoSØRB™ where the final sulfur increment is creating the highest economic penalty. NanoSØRB™ is an excellent method for polishing, and creates value in margin recovery.
