11-03-2024

U.S. patent office to issue another patent to Sulfex™ Desulfurization Technology

Alternative Environmental Technologies Holdings Corp, has just been notified of the imminent issuance by the U.S. Patent Office of yet another patent directed to its Sulfex® OXYtreating®  Desulfurization Technology, Patent No. 11912944. The issuing patent provides additional, broad protection to features of the Sulfex® system and further confirms the uniqueness of the Sulfex® technology. AET’s OXYtreating® technology is a unique technology and process of removing sulfur and similar undesirable impurities from distillates. It has 3 primary benefits over traditional technology.

It is much safer than the traditionally used hydro-desulfurization (“HDS”) processes and plants since Sulfex® does not use high temperatures and pressures that are typical with HDS. Instead, Sulfex® removes Sulfur from hydrocarbon fuels at substantially lower and safer temperatures and pressures.  It does not use explosive hydrogen nor generate highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. And, it is believed that gas flaring will be significantly reduced because of the lowered pressures.  

It massively reduces the CO2 emissions generated from HDS and supporting processes like steam methane reforming. The CO2 reduction varies between 70% and 90% for typical applications.  For a typical refinery it reduces the overall carbon footprint by about 25%.

Also, because of the low temperatures and pressures the capital expense for the OXYtreating® process is about 1/3rd  to 1/10th  that of HDS and the operating expense is about ½ that of HDS.  The engineering, procurement and construction time for the process is about ½ that for HDS because of the simplicity.  The OXYtreating® process does not use exotic, high maintenance precious metal catalysts nor does it utilize troublesome & high maintenance cavitation or ultrasonic process equipment unlike other oxidative desulfurization processes. The Sulfex® process achieves distillate fuel Sulfur levels of less than 10 ppm, and produces a fuel which is ready for use. The process has been independently verified by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Labs (www.anl.gov) with mass and energy balances validated by two major Engineering companies and has also been beta tested in Thailand. The first commercial unit of 1000 barrels per day is now being installed in Virginia, USA. The plan is to expand this unit by 4000 to 5000 bpd shortly after commissioning. Discussions with prospects are underway in North America and the Middle East for additional units of up to 10,000 bpd. The intellectual property that is set forth in the newest patent further protects significant features and application methods of the Sulfex® technology. The patent is directed to a system that uses the patented cross-flow of fuel, reagents and catalysts found within the standard Sulfex® desulfurization plant. In this generation it uses a new physical arrangement that reduces capital costs, operating costs, and plant footprint making it ideal for smaller operations, such as pyrolysis oils. Through these features Sulfex® achieves high rates of desulfurization while minimizing catalyst and reagent use within the system while maximizing the fuel that can be processed by the catalysts and reagents. Further, such a configuration reduces processing time for such fuel processed within the system. AET’s Vice President of Business Development, Barry Dallum stated “The achievement of still another patent on the innovative Sulfex® process displays our commitment to the advancement of this disruptive technology. This process will help provide low cost fuels with a lower carbon footprint within a safer operating environment for employees and surrounding communities.  The technology has been tested on middle distillate fuels, heavy fuel oils, intermediate streams within oil refineries, pyrolysis oil and distressed solvents with success at reducing contaminants.”

Paul J. Alar, Managing Director of Green Energy Opportunity SPV, LLC, an early investor in AET’s Sulfex^TM technology commented, “besides providing lower cost fuels for consumers, and a safer environment for users and non-users alike, it was imperative to us that the Sulfex^TM process function economically without the need for any government subsidies.”
SGS Asset Management Chairman and CEO and AET Executive Director, Steve Stevanovich stated “We are thrilled that another of our portfolio companies is making great strides in further developing their technology.”