Modeling the Probability of Fuel Desulfurization

As fuel prices continue to rise, fuel cells become an increasingly attractive alternative to the usual power generation technologies. Fuel cells offer increased fuel efficiency and the possibility of distributed power systems in an environmentally friendly package. The desulfurization of fuel of fuels has been identified as a non-trivial obstacle to making fuel cells a viable alternative on the large scale. In this paper, we address one aspect of the problem of the desulphurization of fuel. We model the probability that a molecule of fuel will have its sulfur removed as it travels through the substrate. We develop a coarse, working model which can easily be tailored, focusing on the geometry of the system. Then we develop a more sophisticated model based on the initial geometry and the rates at which the sites will be used.