Catalytic Hydrodesulfurization of Gaseous Fuels with Autogenously Formed Hydrogen

Hydrogen production from gaseous fuels, such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, for fuel cell application requires feedstock free of catalyst poisons. As sulfur is one of the main poisons, different methods are employed to remove sulfur species. We propose a process not requiring external hydrogen feed to the feedstock. The hydrogen for the hydrogenation of the sulfur species is obtained directly from the hydrocarbon matrix reacting on a zeolite catalyst. The result is a desulfurization process with considerably simplified process management and a superior process startup.