A fuel cell system including a hydrocarbon fuel stream including a sulfur compound; a passive sorbent bed including a selective sulfur sorbent configured to remove the sulfur compound from the hydrocarbon fuel stream; a SCSO reactor, and an active sorbent bed comprising a sulfur oxide sorbent, wherein the active sorbet bed is configured to receive an effluent stream from the SCSO reactor and remove at least a portion of the sulfur oxides via the sulfur oxide sorbent. During start-up of the fuel cell system, the hydrocarbon fuel stream may be directed along a first flow pathway through the passive sorbent bed to remove the sulfur compound from the fuel stream during a first time period and then directed along a second flow pathway during a second time period that does not pass through the passive sorbent bed, e.g., once the SCSO reactor/active sorbent bed have reached operating temperature.

Disclosed is a process for regenerating a hybrid solvent used to remove contaminants from a fluid stream and to provide an improved yield of purified fluid. Said process comprises at least one purification unit (12) and at least one regeneration unit (40) wherein condensed water 62 from the regeneration unit is recycled back into the purification unit and none of the condensed water is reintroduced into the regeneration unit.

Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with high pH aqueous reducing agents, such as borohydride, results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as disulfides, mercaptans and thioethers that are present to give easily removed sulfides. The treatment converts the original sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfide or low molecular weight mercaptans that can be extracted from the distillate with caustic solutions, hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

Mesoporous organosilica sorbents are effective to remove contaminants (such as glycerol or detergent) from biodiesel. Contacting biodiesel with various a mesoporous organosilica sorbents comprising phenyl and sulfonate moieties resulted in the contaminants being absorbed by the sorbent and thus removed from the biodiesel.

Embodiments provide a method of compound removal from a fluid. The method includes contacting one or more metal organic framework (MOF) compositions with a fluid and sorbing one or more compounds, such as CO.sub.2, H.sub.2S and condensable hydrocarbons. One or more of CO.sub.2, H.sub.2S and condensable hydrocarbons can be sorbed simultaneously or in series. The metal organic framework can be an M-soc-MOF.

Systems and methods for separating hydrocarbons on an internal combustion powered vehicle via one or more metal organic frameworks are disclosed. Systems and methods can further include utilizing separated hydrocarbons and exhaust to generate hydrogen gas for use as fuel. In one aspect, a method for separating hydrocarbons can include contacting a first component containing a first metal organic framework with a flow of hydrocarbons and separating hydrocarbons by size. In certain embodiments, the hydrocarbons can include alkanes.

The process of the present invention provides high recovery and low capital cost giving it an economic advantage over previously known purification processes. The present process has particular applicability to the purification of synthesis gases comprising at least hydrogen (H.sub.2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH.sub.4), CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2O to obtain a gas stream including at least H.sub.2, CO, and CH.sub.4, that is substantially free of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2. The process also has applicability to the purification of natural gases inclusive of at least CH.sub.4, N.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2O to produce a gas stream including at least CH.sub.4 and N.sub.2, but which is substantially free of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a solid comprising the mixture of a set of compounds comprising at least one Cu.sub.2(OH).sub.2CO.sub.3 powder, one metal oxide powder selected from the group of metals consisting of copper, zinc, iron, manganese and mixtures thereof, and at least one binder as well as the use of the solid prepared by means of this method.

There is described a process and an apparatus for purifying a mixture and related products. In particular, there is described a process and an apparatus for purifying a mixture comprising fats, oils and greases as are typically found in sewer waste. The process involves heating, acidifying and separating the mixture. The apparatus used includes a heating and separation device for separating into a solid fraction, an organic liquid fraction and an aqueous liquid fraction. Apparatus such as a three phase separation unit and a rotary vacuum filter may also be used.

Disclosed is an improved process for recovering condensable components from a gas stream, in particular, hydrocarbons from a gas stream such as natural gas. The present process uses solid adsorbent media to remove said hydrocarbons wherein the adsorbent media is regenerated in a continuous fashion in a heated continuous counter-current regeneration system, wherein said heated regenerated adsorbent media is cooled prior to reuse.