The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in Japan has revealed that it has succeeded in establishing a practical process that removes sulphur from diesel fuel.

NEDO, an organization affiliated with the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, has developed a new catalyser at the Petroleum Energy Centre.

Kazuhiro Kashima, a researcher at NEDO, says the new catalyser can remove sulphur compounds contained in diesel fuel that conventional catalysers cannot eliminate.

According to Mr Kashima, the new fuel can be more easily filtered because it contains fewer of the variety of sulphur compounds found in crude oil.

'Sulphur levels emitted from car engines and heating oil are nearly harmless as it is. But for diesel engines to meet the tougher regulations, emission-control devices must work more efficiently. Current sulphur levels in fuel are also harmful to filtering devices,' he explained to the Daily Yomiuri.

Exhaust filters are equipped to remove nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM), but catalysers made of platinum are highly vulnerable to sulphur, and may deteriorate.

'So unless the level of sulphur in diesel fuel is lowered, the exhaust filters cannot work efficiently and their life spans are very short,' Kashima added.

The new technology is capable of removing the more damaging strains of sulphur compound from diesel fuel.

Now experts are looking at producing a catalyser that will be capable of reducing the levels to below ten ppm, a figure that is considered sulphur-free.