Single and Binary Mixture Adsorption Behaviors of C6–C8 Hydrocarbons on Silica–Alumina Gel

Abstract

To ensure the technical use of natural gas, heavy hydrocarbons and other components must be separated. Therefore, in this work the adsorption of C6–C8 hydrocarbons n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, benzene, toluene, and cyclohexane on a commercial silica–alumina gel (Sorbead H) was investigated in experiments and dynamic simulations. Single and binary mixture equilibrium isotherms were determined from cumulative breakthrough curve experiments on a fixed bed adsorber at 25–75 °C and 1.3 bar (abs) in the trace range up to approximately 5000 ppmmol. The adsorption behavior is interpreted on the basis of the molecular structure of the adsorptive, the surface chemistry, and the pore structure of the adsorbents. Binary mixture isotherms were calculated using the theory of the ideal adsorbed solution (IAST). The results were in good agreement with experimental data. The adsorption dynamics was investigated by breakthrough curve experiments and simulated dynamically using an isothermal model based on mass balances a...