Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning

Abstract This research investigates the adsorption desulfurization of liquid fuels using artificial neural networks (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM) approaches. The effectiveness of sulfur removal was predicted by analyzing five important factors: temperature, concentration, surface area...

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Main Authors: Karim Maghfour Sarkarabad, Mohsen Shayanmehr, Ahad Ghaemi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88434-1
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author Karim Maghfour Sarkarabad
Mohsen Shayanmehr
Ahad Ghaemi
author_facet Karim Maghfour Sarkarabad
Mohsen Shayanmehr
Ahad Ghaemi
author_sort Karim Maghfour Sarkarabad
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This research investigates the adsorption desulfurization of liquid fuels using artificial neural networks (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM) approaches. The effectiveness of sulfur removal was predicted by analyzing five important factors: temperature, concentration, surface area, fuel/adsorbent, and time. We employed radial basis function (RBF) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) algorithms for ANN modeling. The optimal MLP configuration, utilizing the Levenberg–Marquardt (Trainlm) algorithm, consisted of three hidden layers with 20, 17, and 9 neurons, respectively, while the optimal RBF network contained 43 neurons. The MLP network’s determination coefficient (R2) was 0.98 over 30 epochs, and its mean squared error (MSE) was 0.0028. The RBF network also obtained an R2 of 0.98 and an MSE of 0.0026 over 40 epochs. A two-factor interaction design served as the basis for the RSM model, which produced an R2 of 0.91. A comparison of the RSM, MLP, and RBF models, using the average absolute relative deviation, indicated that the ANN models, particularly the RBF model, produced more accurate predictions than the RSM model. The findings show that temperature and concentration were the two most significant factors influencing sulfur removal efficiency. Overall, artificial neural networks outperformed the RSM approach in predicting desulfurization performance, providing a more reliable modeling tool for optimizing the sulfur removal process.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
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spelling doaj-art-691d2997f8ba4043abac852f6116ce352025-02-09T12:28:44ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115112010.1038/s41598-025-88434-1Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learningKarim Maghfour Sarkarabad0Mohsen Shayanmehr1Ahad Ghaemi2 School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and TechnologyAbstract This research investigates the adsorption desulfurization of liquid fuels using artificial neural networks (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM) approaches. The effectiveness of sulfur removal was predicted by analyzing five important factors: temperature, concentration, surface area, fuel/adsorbent, and time. We employed radial basis function (RBF) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) algorithms for ANN modeling. The optimal MLP configuration, utilizing the Levenberg–Marquardt (Trainlm) algorithm, consisted of three hidden layers with 20, 17, and 9 neurons, respectively, while the optimal RBF network contained 43 neurons. The MLP network’s determination coefficient (R2) was 0.98 over 30 epochs, and its mean squared error (MSE) was 0.0028. The RBF network also obtained an R2 of 0.98 and an MSE of 0.0026 over 40 epochs. A two-factor interaction design served as the basis for the RSM model, which produced an R2 of 0.91. A comparison of the RSM, MLP, and RBF models, using the average absolute relative deviation, indicated that the ANN models, particularly the RBF model, produced more accurate predictions than the RSM model. The findings show that temperature and concentration were the two most significant factors influencing sulfur removal efficiency. Overall, artificial neural networks outperformed the RSM approach in predicting desulfurization performance, providing a more reliable modeling tool for optimizing the sulfur removal process.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88434-1Adsorptive desulfurizationActivated carbonArtificial neural networkResponse surface methodology
spellingShingle Karim Maghfour Sarkarabad
Mohsen Shayanmehr
Ahad Ghaemi
Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning
Scientific Reports
Adsorptive desulfurization
Activated carbon
Artificial neural network
Response surface methodology
title Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning
title_full Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning
title_fullStr Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning
title_full_unstemmed Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning
title_short Optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon-based adsorbents through synergistic application of RSM and machine learning
title_sort optimization and modeling of sulfur removal from liquid fuel using carbon based adsorbents through synergistic application of rsm and machine learning
topic Adsorptive desulfurization
Activated carbon
Artificial neural network
Response surface methodology
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88434-1
work_keys_str_mv AT karimmaghfoursarkarabad optimizationandmodelingofsulfurremovalfromliquidfuelusingcarbonbasedadsorbentsthroughsynergisticapplicationofrsmandmachinelearning
AT mohsenshayanmehr optimizationandmodelingofsulfurremovalfromliquidfuelusingcarbonbasedadsorbentsthroughsynergisticapplicationofrsmandmachinelearning
AT ahadghaemi optimizationandmodelingofsulfurremovalfromliquidfuelusingcarbonbasedadsorbentsthroughsynergisticapplicationofrsmandmachinelearning