Desulfurization of Diesel Fuel in a Fixed Bed Adsorption Column: Experimental Study and Simulation

Abstract Desulfurization of diesel fuel was investigated in a fixed bed adsorption column using activated carbon as an adsorbent. The experiments were carried out at different feed flow rates, bed depths, and temperatures, and each experiment resulted in at least one sample containing less than 10 mg/kg of sulfur. Experimental data were used to simulate/predict the dimensions of an adsorption column for potential industrial application of adsorptive desulfurization of diesel fuel. The calculation resulted with a height of adsorption column of 17.32 m and an adsorbent load of 93.5 tons. The calculated column height is within the limits for a typical industrial adsorption column.