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Fuel is desulfurized with a rapid cycle desulfurization-regeneration method and apparatus. Regeneratable mass separating agents, including metals supported on high surface area materials, are used in a plurality of beds that are rotated into, through, and out of a desulfurization series and a regene

Fuel is desulfurized with a rapid cycle desulfurization-regeneration method and apparatus. Regeneratable mass separating agents, including metals supported on high surface area materials, are used in a plurality of beds that are rotated into, through, and out of a desulfurization series and a regeneration series by valves and plumbing, which can include a rotary valve apparatus.

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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. Fuel desulfurizer apparatus, comprising: a plurality of regenerable sorbent beds, each of which has an inlet and an outlet; a fuel inlet conduit; a fuel outlet conduit; a regeneration

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. Fuel desulfurizer apparatus, comprising: a plurality of regenerable sorbent beds, each of which has an inlet and an outlet; a fuel inlet conduit; a fuel outlet conduit; a regeneration fluid inlet conduit; a regeneration fluid outlet conduit; a rotatable valve positioned between the fuel inlet conduit and the fuel outlet conduit and between the regeneration fluid inlet conduit and the regeneration fluid outlet conduit with a plurality of interconnectable ports and directing holes and ducts configured to repeatedly switch fuel flows progressively through a series of desulfurization stages in a manner that simulates counterflow of the regenerable sorbent beds in relation to the fuel flow to sequentially sorb and remove increments of sulfur compounds from a sulfur-laden fuel flowing between the fuel inlet conduit and the fuel outlet conduit, to repeatedly switch regeneration fluid flows progressively through a series of regeneration stages in a manner that simulates counterflow of the regerable sorbent beds in relation to the regeneration fluid flows to sequentially desorb and remove sulfur compounds from the regenerable sorbent beds, and for effectively switching sorbent beds progressively from the desulfurization series to the regeneration series and from the regeneration series back into the desulfurization series; and individually controllable heaters at each of the plurality of regenerable sorbtion beds for heating the regenerable sorbent beds when they are switched into the regeneration series, and heater controls that turn on the individual controllable heater of each regenerable sorbent bed when it is switched into the regeneration series and that turn off the individual controllable heater of each regenerable sorbent bed long enough before it is switched into the desulfurization series to allow the regeneration fluid flow to cool the regenerable sorbent bed before it is switched into the desulfurization series. 2. The fuel desulfurization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regeneration fluid inlet is an air inlet. 3. The fuel desulfurization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the regeneration fluid inlet is a hydrogen inlet. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotary valve includes a stationary orifice plate with a plurality of ports connected individually to respective top ends of the sorbent beds and a plurality of ports connected individually to respective bottom ends of the sorbent beds, and a rotatable valve shoe with a first plurality of channels configured for directing fuel flow from the fuel inlet conduit in a serial manner through a first subset of the plurality of sorbent beds that comprise the desulfurization series and a second plurality of channels configured for directing fuel flow from the regeneration fluid inlet conduit in a serial manner through a second subset of the plurality of sorbent beds that comprise the regeneration series, wherein increments of rotation of the valve shoe in relation to the stationary orifice advances the fuel flow and air flow into different ones of the sorbent beds in a manner that shifts individual ones of the sorbent beds between the desulfurization series and the regeneration series along with effectively advancing the individual sorbent beds through the desulfurization and regeneration series. 5. Desulfurization apparatus for removing sulfur from hydrocarbon fuel, comprising: at least three beds of regenerable sorbent material; valves and plumbing set up to have a capability to direct flow of the fuel in sequence through at least two of the regenerable sorbent beds forming together a desulfurization series and to direct flow of a regeneration fluid through at least one of the regenerable sorbent beds, which is not in the desulfurization series, and to switch said regenerable sorbent beds sequentially out of the desulfurization series for regeneration and to switch said regenerable sorbent beds away from regeneration and into the desulfurization series; and heaters on the regenerable sorbent beds that are capable of being turned on to heat the regenerable sorbent beds when regeneration fluid is flowing through the regenerable sorbent beds and of being turned off when the regenerable sorbent beds are in the desulfurization series. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the valves comprise a rotary valve. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the regeneration fluid comprises air. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the regeneration fluid comprises a reducing gas. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the regeneration fluid comprises a solvent. 10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sorbent material comprises a combustion catalyst supported on a high surface area material. 11. Desulfurization apparatus for removing sulfur from hydrocarbon fuel, comprising: at least three beds of regenerable sorbent; and valves and plumbing set up to have a capability to direct flow of the fuel in sequence through at least two of the regenerable sorbent beds forming a desulfurization series and to direct flow of a regeneration fluid through at least one of the regenerable sorbent beds which is not in the desulfurization series, and to switch said regenerable sorbent beds sequentially out of the desulfurization series for regeneration and to switch said regenerable sorbent beds away from regeneration and into the desulfurization series. 12. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 11, wherein the valves and plumbing comprise a rotary valve mechanism positioned between a fuel inlet conduit and a fuel outlet conduit and between a regeneration fluid inlet and a regeneration fluid outlet with a plurality of interconnectable ports and directing holes and ducts configured and motivated to repeatedly switch the fuel flows progressively through a series of desulfurization stages, progressively through a series of regeneration stages, and for effectively switching the regenerable sorbent beds progressively from the desulfurization series to the regeneration series into the desulfurization series. 13. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rotary valve mechanism includes a stationary orifice plate with a plurality of ports connected individually to respective top ends of the regenerable sorbent beds and a plurality of ports connected individually to respective bottom ends of the regenerable sorbent beds, and a rotatable valve shoe with a first plurality of channels configured for directing fuel flow from the fuel inlet in a serial manner through a first subset of a plurality of regenerable sorbent beds that comprise the desulfurization series and a second plurality of channels configured for directing the fuel flow from the regeneration fluid inlet in a serial manner through a second subset of a plurality of regenerable sorbent beds that comprise the regeneration series, wherein increments of rotation of the valve shoe in relation to the stationary orifice advances the fuel flow and air flow into different ones of the regenerable sorbent beds in a manner that shifts individual ones of the regenerable sorbent beds between the desulfurization series and the regeneration series along with effectively advancing the individual regenerable sorbent beds through the desulfurization and regeneration series. 14. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 13, wherein the orifice plate has a flat orifice surface into which the ports and grooves extend, and wherein the rotary shoe has a flat shoe surface into which a plurality of port-connecting grooves extend and into which a plurality of holes extend to interconnecting ducts in the rotary shoe, said rotary shoe and said stationary orifice plate being juxtaposed to each other with the flat orifice surface and the flat shoe surface in contact with each other to seal the ports, grooves, and holes from fluid leakage. 15. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 14, wherein the shoe surface comprises a self-lubricating material. 16. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 15, wherein the self-lubricating material comprises graphite. 17. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 15, wherein the orifice surface comprises hardened steel. 18. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 13, including drive means connected to the rotary shoe for rotating the rotary shoe in relation to the orifice plate. 19. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drive means includes a stepper motor. 20. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drive means includes a continuously rotating motor. 21. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drive means includes a servo motor. 22. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drive means includes a pneumatic motor. 23. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drive means includes a hydraulic motor. 24. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 18, wherein the drive means includes a solenoid. 25. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 11, including at least six regenerable sorbent beds. 26. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 11, including at least ten regenerable sorbent beds. 27. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 11, wherein two-thirds of the regenerable sorbent beds are in the desulfurization series while one-third of the regenerable sorbent beds are in the regeneration series. 28. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 11, wherein there are twelve regenerable sorbent beds. 29. The desulfurization apparatus of claim 28, wherein eight of the regenerable sorbent beds are in the desulfurization phase while four of the regenerable sorbent beds are in the regeneration phase.