Patent ID: 7871459

Claim:
A method of desulfurizing fuel gas, comprising the steps of: passing fuel gas comprising a sulfur compound through a sorbent, at a first flow rate, corresponding to a high space velocity, and at a first temperature, wherein the sulfur compound is adsorbed substantially on a surface of the sorbent, thereby generating a substantially desulfurized fuel gas; and regenerating the sorbent by passing a regenerating gas stream through the sorbent, at a second flow rate, corresponding to a high space velocity, and at a second temperature, thereby desorbing substantially all of the sulfur compound from said sorbent surface; wherein the sorbent comprises a lanthanum oxide or a cerium oxide; the sorbent further comprises a lanthanide metal or a transition metal; said first space velocity is from about 16,000 h −1 to about 400,000 h −1 ; said second space velocity is from about 16,000 h −1 to about 400,000 h −1 ; said first temperature is selected from about 400° C. to about 1,000° C.; and said second temperature is selected from about 400° C. to about 1,000° C.