Process design for gas condensate desulfurization and synthesis of nano-13X zeolite adsorbent: equilibrium and dynamic studies

Abstract

Abstract This paper summarizes the results of a study of adsorption of sulfur compounds from a high-sulfur feed on improved spherical-shaped nano-AgX zeolite. For this purpose, the nano-AgX zeolite was initially synthesized and improved with silver compounds such as silver nitrate, and then it was utilized in the adsorption process. In order to investigate the equilibrium and dynamics of the adsorption process, adsorptive desulfurization of real feed (i.e., sour gas condensate from the South Pars gas field) was carried out in batch and continuous processes under several operating conditions; a temperature-dependent Langmuir isotherm model was used to fit the equilibrium data. The value of monolayer adsorption capacity (q m) and adsorption enthalpy $$\left( {\Delta H} \right)$$ ΔH were calculated to be 1.044 mmol/g and 16.8 kJ/mol, respectively. Furthermore, a detailed theoretical model was employed in order to model the breakthrough experiments. The results revealed that an increase in the feed flow rate and $$1/T$$ 1/T values will cause linear and exponential increase in the total mass transfer coefficient ($$k_{\text{s}}$$ ks ). Isotherm and dynamic breakthrough models were found to be in agreement with the experimental data.

Keywords

• Process design
• Desulfurization
• Dynamic adsorption
• Gas condensate
• Equilibrium