Struct Bond (2020) 184: 145–194
https://doi.org/10.1007/430_2020_71
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Published online: 11 October 2020
Perspectives of Scaling Up the Use
of Zeolites for Selective Separations from
Lab to Industry
Vanessa F. D. Martins, Ana M. Ribeiro, Alexandre F. P. Ferreira, and
Alírio E. Rodrigues
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
2 Adsorptive Gas-Phase Separation Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
3 From Laboratory to Industrial Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
3.1 Pure Component Adsorption Equilibrium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
3.2 Dynamic Adsorption Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
3.3 Mathematical Modeling and Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
3.4 VPSA and SMB at Pilot Scale Using Zeolites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
3.5 Cryo-PTSA Scale-up Using Zeolites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Abstract Different synthetic zeolites can be obtained by varying the composition,
porosity, and active centers, making them of great interest in industry, especially as
adsorbents in gas separation and purification processes. On the other hand, adsorption separation processes are increasingly common in industrial applications due to
the technical and economic advantages of this technology. In this context, zeolites
have emerged as promising candidates for these processes due to their high temperature stability, resistance to harsh environments combined with unique molecular
sieve characteristics, ion exchange, and selective adsorption. In this chapter, we will
focus on two cases, paraffin/olefin separation (ethane/ethylene and propane/propylene) and carbon dioxide/methane separation.
Some innovative alternatives to replace conventional distillation have emerged
for paraffin/olefin separation, with emphasis on simulated moving bed (SMB)
V. F. D. Martins, A. M. Ribeiro, A. F. P. Ferreira, and A. E. Rodrigues (*)
Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering, Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto,
Portugal
e-mail: arodrig@fe.up.pt
https://doi.org/10.1007/430_2020_71
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Published online: 11 October 2020
Perspectives of Scaling Up the Use
of Zeolites for Selective Separations from
Lab to Industry
Vanessa F. D. Martins, Ana M. Ribeiro, Alexandre F. P. Ferreira, and
Alírio E. Rodrigues
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
2 Adsorptive Gas-Phase Separation Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
3 From Laboratory to Industrial Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
3.1 Pure Component Adsorption Equilibrium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
3.2 Dynamic Adsorption Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
3.3 Mathematical Modeling and Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
3.4 VPSA and SMB at Pilot Scale Using Zeolites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
3.5 Cryo-PTSA Scale-up Using Zeolites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
4 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Abstract Different synthetic zeolites can be obtained by varying the composition,
porosity, and active centers, making them of great interest in industry, especially as
adsorbents in gas separation and purification processes. On the other hand, adsorption separation processes are increasingly common in industrial applications due to
the technical and economic advantages of this technology. In this context, zeolites
have emerged as promising candidates for these processes due to their high temperature stability, resistance to harsh environments combined with unique molecular
sieve characteristics, ion exchange, and selective adsorption. In this chapter, we will
focus on two cases, paraffin/olefin separation (ethane/ethylene and propane/propylene) and carbon dioxide/methane separation.
Some innovative alternatives to replace conventional distillation have emerged
for paraffin/olefin separation, with emphasis on simulated moving bed (SMB)
V. F. D. Martins, A. M. Ribeiro, A. F. P. Ferreira, and A. E. Rodrigues (*)
Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering, Associate Laboratory LSRE/LCM,
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto,
Portugal
e-mail: arodrig@fe.up.pt