Adsorption

Dehydration
Adsorption
• Adsorption is selective binding of a substance by another solid
substance
• Two Types
• Chemisorptions
• Physical Adsorption.
Characteristics of Adsorber
Materials
Selection of adsorbents
• Carbon ( Charcoal) widely used .
• Capacity increases the cost.
• Equipment cost
• Service life
• Process Needs.
Desiccant Properties
Nominal Diameter
Types of desiccant
• Three broad categories.
• Alumina (Al2O3), Bauxite, iron free, natural state- bauxite
• Gel, Silica Gel, SiO2 , from Sulfuric Acid- sodium silicate.
• Molecular Sieves (alkali metal crystalline): pH 10.
• Different types 3A, 4A, 5A
• Polarity is higher.
Molecular Sieves.
Desiccant Choice
• Economic Exercise
• Alumina- Cheapest – but require large tower cross section
• Molecular sieves- more versatile but expensive.
• Desiccant containing bauxite not suitable for hydrocarbons.
• Pressure loss should be considered.
Basic Two Tower Dry Desiccant System
Process Description
• Two towers
• Drying & Regenerating
• Inlet gas flows top of second tower.
• Regeneration- Heating & Cooling.
• Heating-215 deg C
• Cooling- 10-15 deg C
• 10% gas can be used for regeneration.
Continue……
• Basic sources for regeneration gas:
• Inlet Gas
• Closed Cycle separate
• Dry effluent gas

• More than two towers are used generally.

Multiple Towers
Description
• Shaded area- saturated with water.
• Operating sequence
• 1-2; 2-3; 1-3
• Four towers can be used.
Open Cycle
Description
• Wet Gas –for regeneration.
• Bed preheats gas
• Suitable temperature is achieved for regeneration.
• Entres at top of the regenerator.
Closed Loop
Description
• Regeneration gas heated & enters tower
• Warmed gas leaving the cooling tower exchange heat with
regeneration stream
Wet Gas Heating & effluent gas cooling
Description
• Inlet gas for regeneration and effluent gas for cooling.
• Complete regeneration must be achieved
• Require more equipments.
Closed cycle with effluent gas cooling.
Piping Manifold
Temperature Curve for two
tower Cycle
Temperature plot
• Temperature time plot – 8 hr cycle.
• Heat up the vessel contents
• Water desorbs at 125 deg c
• Bed temperature rising again.
• The final temperature is required to remove heel-heavier
hydrocarbons and impurities
• Cooling 50-55 Deg C.
• Dry exit gas or outlet gas- cooler.
• Regeneration Temperature:
• 180-205deg c for silica Gel
• 275 to 300 deg c to molecular sieves.
Regeneration Practice
•Method of Heating: Main stream bypassed for heating. LPG vaporized or
superheated stream can be used.
•Required Temperature - 175Deg C to 300 Deg C.
•Direction of Flow: Countercurrent for long cycle or cocurrent for short
cycle.
•Gas Flow Rate: 10 to 15 % of the gas flow
•Water Removal- 125 deg c
•Heat Required: Heat of desorption + sensible heat to bring water vapor,
desiccant and cotainer to temp.
•Time Required – 65 to 75 % of total life cycle
Optimization of Process