Patent ID: 8697451
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: G01N,H01M,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A sulfur breakthrough monitoring assembly for use in a fuel utilization system for detecting sulfur-containing compounds in desulfurized fuel, said monitoring assembly comprising: a heater for heating desulfurized fuel that has been humidified to a predetermined temperature, said predetermined temperature being between 450° C. and 600° C.; a sulfur breakthrough detector adapted to receive heated fuel from said heater and including at least a reforming catalyst bed for reforming said heated fuel and a plurality of temperature sensors including a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature of said heated fuel before said fuel is conveyed through said reforming catalyst bed and a second temperature sensor for sensing temperature in said reforming catalyst bed; and a controller programmed to determine whether concentration of said sulfur-containing compounds in the fuel exceeds a first predetermined concentration based on temperature outputs from said first and second temperature sensors, wherein the controller receives temperature outputs from said first and second temperature sensors, and is programmed to: determine a plurality of differences between temperature outputs of said first and second temperature sensors over predetermined time, determine, based on the determined plurality of differences between temperature outputs of the first and second temperature sensors, a rate at which the difference between outputs of the first and second temperature sensors changes; and determine that concentration of said sulfur-containing compounds in said fuel exceeds the first predetermined concentration if the determined rate is equal to or greater than a first predetermined rate.