Controlling the Sulfur Content in Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) Fuels

Sulfur enters our atmosphere as gaseous sulfur dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels such as diesel. This sulfur dioxide or SO2 affects the environment, man-made structures, our health, and even the industries that generate the toxic gas. Sulfur dioxide combines with water vapor in the air to form sulfurous and sulfuric acid. These acids fall back to earth in water vapor and slowly devour away stone and cement edifices, statues, and ancient ruins around the world.

Today, many analytical laboratories have initiated screening methods on less expensive instruments to expedite sampling and testing in their fast-paced environments. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence spectroscopy (ED-XRF or EDX) is one of the best, cost-effective screening tools today. Here, our objective is to reproducibly measure the concentration of sulfur in diesel fuel blend and create a typical process control routine that is easily implemented in the analytical laboratory of a plant refinery.