SBIR Phase I: Advanced Hydrodesulfurization Catalysts

本小型企业创新研究（SBIR）一期项目旨在论证一种用于深度脱硫的新型先进加氢脱硫（HDS）催化剂的可行性。具体来说，氧化锌纳米线负载的金属纳米颗粒被提出用于制造性能更高的反应性吸附型HDS催化剂。HDS是一种用于从碳氢化合物燃料中去除硫的工艺。在这个过程中，燃料在催化剂的存在下用氢气处理。环境法规正在不断降低运输燃料中允许的硫含量，并将继续将限制降低到10ppm以下。此外，低硫浓度对于各种燃料电池和炼油技术是理想的，因为少量的硫会毒害催化剂。目前，传统的HDS催化剂可以有效地将硫去除到20ppm左右，并留下难以去除的噻吩硫化合物。在该项目中，提出了一种先进的催化剂和可扩展且具有成本效益的制造方法，可以实现深度脱硫，将硫含量降低到远低于5ppm。该项目的更广泛的商业潜力将是改善空气质量，并通过提高燃料电池的耐用性和几种炼油技术为国家节省能源/成本。该项目的其他成果还将包括先进催化剂材料的新制造技术，这对美国和肯塔基州在能源技术方面具有全球竞争力至关重要。使用ZnO纳米线支撑的催化剂材料也将在深度加氢脱硫之外找到应用，例如使用合成气生产C1-C4酒精，以及甲醇的蒸汽重整。考虑到应用领域的数量，所提出的催化剂的市场规模估计超过10亿美元。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of a new type of advanced hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalyst for deep desulfurization purposes. Specifically, metal nanoparticles supported on zinc oxide nanowires are proposed for creating higher performance, reactive adsorbent type HDS catalysts. HDS is a process used for the removal of sulfur from hydrocarbon fuels. In this process, fuels are treated with hydrogen gas in the presence of a catalyst. The environmental regulations are continuously pushing down the sulfur levels allowed in transportation fuels and will continue to lower the limits much below 10 ppm in future. Also, low sulfur concentrations are desirable for various fuel cell and refinery technologies where presence of small amounts of sulfur can poison the catalysts. The current, traditional HDS catalysts are efficient in removing the sulfur to levels down to around 20 ppm and leaves behind difficult-to-remove thiophenic sulfur compounds. In this project, an advanced catalyst and a scalable and cost-effective manufacturing is proposed that can accomplish deep desulfurization for lowering sulfur levels down well below 5 ppm. The broader/ commercial potential of this project will be improved air quality and energy/cost savings for the nation from improved durability of fuel cell and several refining technologies. The project's other outcome will also include new manufacturing technologies for advanced catalyst materials which is crucial for both the nation and the state of Kentucky to be globally competitive in terms of energy technologies. The catalyst materials using ZnO nanowire supports will also find applications beyond deep hydro-desulfurization such as C1-C4 alcohol production using syngas, and steam reforming of methanol. The market size for the proposed catalysts is estimated to exceed $1B considering the number of application areas.