Dynamic and equilibrium-based investigations of CO2 removal from CH4-rich gas mixtures on zeolites

12th International Conference on the Fundamentals of Adsorption, 29 May – 3 June 2016 Graf-Zeppelin-Haus, Friedrichshafen/Lake Constance

The adsorptive separation of gas mixtures along a fixed bed adsorber is one of the most effective and thus economical separation techniques. In general, the suitability of an adsorbent for the separation of a certain gas mixture cannot be deduced from texture data only, but is determined by a multitude of complex adsorption phenomena taking place within the adsorber column. Multicomponent adsorption equilibria, sorption kinetics, heat release and the flow conditions within the adsorber are just a few parameter that define the overall separation efficiency. The pure component sorption isotherms of CO2 and CH4 and the breakthrough curves of CO2, CH4 and CO2/CH4 mixtures have been measured at different temperatures on a binder containing zeolite 13X molecular sieve (Köstrolith® NaMSXK) in order to investigate the CO2 removal from methane-rich gas mixtures (relevant in natural gas purification).