Sulfex is a novel low-temperature, low-pressure process designed to remove sulfur from light distillates such as naphtha, kerosene, diesel, and gasoline, reducing sulfur content to less than 10 ppm without significantly affecting vital fuel properties. Unlike conventional hydro-desulfurization, Sulfex uses hydrogen peroxide instead of hydrogen, avoiding the severity of high-pressure hydrogen environments and associated safety risks.
Sulfex was developed and patented by AET Corporation in Reno, Nevada, USA. Pyramid E&C has a global collaboration agreement with AET for design and build services. The technology has been successfully tested over the years for several distillates in AET’s labs, and Pyramid E&C has recently built the first commercial unit with a 1000 BPD capacity, delivered to AET in Richmond, Virginia, for installation at a midstream operator facility.
The Sulfex process removes sulfur through a controlled oxidation and sorption process. The feed is gently preheated to the optimal reaction temperature, and sulfur compounds are oxidized using a proprietary catalyst–oxidant system. The oxidized sulfur species are then selectively removed through multi-stage sorption. Reagents and sorbents are recovered and recycled, minimizing waste. Laboratory tests have shown that feedstocks containing up to 5000 ppm sulfur can be reduced to less than 10 ppm.
Sulfex units are available in capacities ranging from 1000 BPD to 10,000 BPD, with modular e-house options for flexible deployment.
