Engelhard Launches Sulfur-Removing Technologies

Engelhard Corp. (Iselin, NJ) introduced three different approaches to removing sulfur from both natural and liquid petroleum gas used in fuel cell applications. Desulfurization of fuels is key to making fuel cells commercially viable because sulfur compounds poison fuel cells, lowering their useful life.

With the introduction of multiple approaches, Engelhard becomes the first company to offer a full range of desulfurization solutions. The three approaches are passive absorption, which uses proprietary adsorbents to remove organic and inorganic sulfur compounds at ambient pressure and temperature; selective catalytic oxidation, which uses a proprietary catalyst to selectively oxidize the sulfur compounds to oxides of sulfur; and

hydrodesulfurization, which utilizes a novel precious metal catalyst to convert the sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide.

"The variations in the types and levels of sulfur compounds found in fuel cells makes the removal process difficult," said Terence Poles, Engelhard's director of fuel cells. "We are simplifying this process for our customers by providing three cost-effective technologies that reduce these harmful fuel cell contaminants."