Zeolite Y Research Articles

Multiple approaches for large-scale CO2 capture by adsorption with 13X zeolite in multi-stage fluidized beds assessment

Multiple approaches for large-scale CO2 capture by adsorption with 13X zeolite in multi-stage fluidized beds assessment

Evaluation of CO2 Adsorption Parameters in Fluidised Zeolite 13X Beds Using Non-Linear Multivariate Optimisation

This work is part of a research project aimed at studying potential sorbents for CO2 capture. The main parameters characterising the adsorption process of zeolite 13X were derived with the aim of overcoming the limits of experimental analysis and thus predicting the performances of the materials of interest. In particular, the main parameters that control the adsorption process of CO2 in zeolite 13X were evaluated through parametric optimisation. This systematic procedure allows for the prediction of the performances of the materials at different operating conditions, identifying the most suitable ones for the case under consideration. Another important application lies in the possibility of a preliminary study of a potential process scale-up for future industrial use. The captured carbon dioxide can be stored or used as a reagent in the production of products with higher economic values, such as methanol, DME and others.

Investigation on regeneration of zeolite 13X-water adsorbent bed under vacuum condition: A computational approach

The present work investigates the adsorbent regeneration numerically in a vacuum to enhance adsorption-cooling systems' performance. A two-dimensional study on the desorption of water vapor from a zeolite 13X bed in a vacuum is studied using COMSOL Multiphysics. Coupled mass, heat, and momentum equations are solved for the adsorbent bed with different particle sizes to estimate temperature and moisture variation. The simulation is validated with experimental results from the literature. The study shows that the particle diameter significantly affects the mass transfer coefficient related to the desorption process. An increase in particle diameter from 3 to 4 mm decreased the mass transfer coefficient by 43.8 %, and 3 to 5 mm was reduced by 64.0 %. Similarly, in the case of desorption, particles with size 3 mm had the maximum desorption rate (0.27–0.14 kgw/kgadsorbent). An increase in particle diameter from 3 to 4 mm and 3 to 5 mm reduced the desorption process by 8.4 % and 13.8 %, respectively. The temperature change in a straight line along the radial direction of the adsorbent bed is computed, and the result showed that heat input affects the heat transfer rate but not its direction. As the desorption of an adsorbent bed depends on various parameters, an optimization study should be carried out to optimize particle size, height and width of the bed, thermal conductivity, working pressure, moisture content, and regeneration temperature.

Selection and optimisation of a zeolite/catalyst mixture for sorption-enhanced CO2 methanation (SEM) process

The sorption-enhanced methanation (SEM) process has emerged as a promising technology to produce high quality synthetic natural gas (SNG) from renewable sources under milder conditions than conventional methanation technologies. During the SEM process developed in this paper, an H2O adsorbent is combined with a Rhodium-based catalyst to remove the H2O generated during the CO2 methanation reaction, shifting the equilibrium towards CH4 formation. In this work, several commercial zeolites (3A, 4A, 5A and 13X) were studied as H2O adsorbents under SEM conditions. Based on the study performed, zeolite 4A demonstrated to be the most suitable zeolite which, combined with the proposed catalyst, allowed maximising the production and purity of the obtained CH4. The influence of gas space velocity, H2/CO2 ratio in the feed gas, zeolite/catalyst proportion and cyclic stability were analysed and optimized to maximise CH4 production. When the process was run under SEM conditions using zeolite 4A as sorbent at 275 °C and a gas space velocity of 230 Nml/h·gcat, the CH4 content increased from 10.6 vol% in conventional methanation up to 85 vol% in the SEM conditions. Thus, the enhanced performance of the SEM process was demonstrated.

Stable and Highly Luminescent Silver Nanoclusters in the 13X Zeolite Enabled by Mg2+ Doping and Their Luminescence Tuning by Heating Temperature.

Zeolite-confined silver nanoclusters (Ag-zeolite) have aroused vast interest due to their remarkable luminescence. The countercations within a zeolite play critical roles in determining the luminescent properties of the resulting Ag-zeolite. We observed, in this work, that introducing Mg2+ enabled the Ag-13X zeolite a stable and bright yellow emission with a high PLQY of 94.6%, the first report on the luminescence enhancement of the Ag-13X zeolite by Mg2+, to the best of our knowledge. The formation of specific internal electric fields inside 13X and the structural contraction of the zeolite framework due to the high charge density and the small ionic radius of Mg2+ are believed to be responsible for the enhanced stable and bright yellow emission. The stabilization effect of Mg2+ is removed by increasing the heating temperature above 700 °C, which leads to the variation of silver nanoclusters as a result of the framework collapse of the zeolite. The Ag-zeolite synthesized by us, featured with a broad emission band, a high PLQY of 94.6%, and good thermal stability, can be considered a suitable candidate to replace the traditional commercial yellow-emitting phosphor YAG:Ce3+ for light-based applications. This work contributes to a valuable reference for the rational design of silver nanoclusters confined in zeolites with promising new functionalities and stimulates potential applications as novel phosphors for near-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (NUV-LEDs).

Optimal synthesis of dolochar derived faujasite zeolite X for highly effective Cd(II) removal

Cadmium-induced water pollution is a major environmental issue because of its persistent nature and adverse ecological impacts. Adsorption is a highly favored method due to its versatility and high efficacy in cadmium removal. Hence, the present work aims to develop a low-cost, highly effective adsorbent-dolochar-derived nanoporous zeolite to easily and effectively purify Cd(II) polluted water. The work focuses on the Cd(II) batch adsorption study using the optimal hydrothermal synthesis of a crystalline faujasite Zeolite X (ZX) from dolochar. The synthesis parameters were optimized using Response Surface Methodology, specifically Box Behnken Design (RSM-BBD), to maximize the crystallinity percentage. Variables such as initial Cd(II) concentration, solution pH, dosage, time, and temperature were studied for the Cd(II) batch adsorption study. The optimum conditions for synthesizing ZX include NaOH/Dolochar, crystallization temperature, and crystallization time of 1.375, 100 °C, and 11 h, respectively. The resultant XRD structure exhibited an average crystal size and crystallinity of 0.79 μm and 87.231 %, respectively. The average pore size, micropore volume, micropore area, and total surface area were 3.316 nm, 0.311 cc. g−1, 567.226 m2 g−1, and 583.117 m2 g−1, respectively. The maximum removal was accomplished with optimum conditions of 0.25 g.L−1 dosage, 80 min, at 313.15 K, and 6.5 pH. Adsorption isotherm results agreed with those hypothesized by Freundlich isotherm, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 714.285 mg g−1, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model describes the adsorption kinetics well. The relevance of the results highlights the importance of using this dolochar-derived nanoporous zeolite as an adsorbent to effectively treat Cd(II) containing wastewater.

Low-temperature catalytic dechlorination of model plastic pyrolytic oil over zeolite catalysts

Catalytic dechlorination of model plastic pyrolytic oil was investigated over different types of zeolites and ion-exchanged 13X zeolites at the low temperatures of 20–120 °C. Among different types of parent zeolites (13X, β, MCM-41), 13X had the highest catalytic dechlorination performance. After ion exchange of 13X with Ag+, its catalytic dechlorination performance was significantly enhanced, and the chlorine removal over Ag-13X reached 97.2 % after reaction for 5 h at 120 °C. The characterization results indicated that the acidity of the zeolite governed its catalytic dechlorination performance, and higher acid amount and stronger acid strength are preferred. Different types of chlorinated compounds followed different dechlorination mechanisms. The primary chlorinated alkanes (e.g., 1-chlorooctane) underwent nucleophilic substitution by the surface –OH groups or H2O to form alcohols and HCl, or dehydrochlorination reaction to produce olefins and HCl, while higher chlorinated alkanes with adjacent hydrogen (e.g., chlorocyclohexane) mainly underwent dehydrochlorination reaction to produce olefins and HCl. Chlorinated aromatics (e.g., chlorobenzene) was removed mainly by physical adsorption. Ag-13X showed good stability, and the chlorine removal still retained 72.1 % after 102 h on stream. After four dechlorination-regeneration cycles, the chlorine removal had only a slight decrease due to the partial collapse of its structure and slight loss of its acid amount.

Synthesis and characterization of carboxylic- and amine-grafted FAU zeolites as inorganic fillers to design biocompatible composites

Zeolites have been used for decades in industry owing their large surface area, high stability and well-defined crystalline structure. Therefore, numerous synthesis routes have been developed to tune the morphology and the physical chemical properties of the final zeolite. In particular in the biomedical field, zeolites were used as drug carriers, and even as transporters to penetrate directly into the cells. The aim of this study was to develop zeolite-based composites which involved a gelatin matrix covalently bonded to zeolites. Nanosized faujasites (FAU) were synthesized leading to a colloidal suspension prior to mixing with gelatin solutions at different FAU-to-gelatin weight percentages. FAU morphologies and size distribution were investigated by SEM and DLS focusing on the aggregation propensity in response to different pH and ionic strength. Zeolite surfaces were then functionalized to graft either amine, or carboxylic groups, using the well-known 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) for amine, and 5-(triethoxysilyl)pentanoic acid (TESPA) for carboxylic groups for the first time. According to these strategies, zeolites were covalently linked to gelatin chains via EDC/NHS coupling widely used in biology. The successful surface functionalization was assessed by ATR-FTIR, XPS, and zeta potential measurements. The resulting composites were found stable under physiological temperature compared to gelatin alone, as confirmed by DSC analysis. Lastly, in order to get a first glimpse of the potential use of these composites in biology, gels were incubated in culture media prior to be poured onto macrophage-derived THP-1 cells, showing good viability. FAU zeolite crystals could therefore be used as fillers to improve thermal properties of gelatin hydrogels, using a novel surface functionalization strategy, being thus promising candidates as scaffolds for tissue engineering, or even wound dressing.

The influence of deuterium on sodium mobility and viscosity of colloidal precursor suspensions yielding template-free nanosized zeolites

The isotopic substitution in chemistry is characterized by two main effects, i.e., the kinetic isotope effect (KIE), associated with differences in the reaction rates, and the geometric isotope effect (GIE) related to crystallographic features. In this work, considering the difference in the weight of deuterium (D) compared to the weight of hydrogen (H), we use the isotopic substitution to investigate the crystallisation mechanism of template-free nanosized faujasite (FAU) type zeolite in colloidal precursors. Тhe basic hydrothermal synthesis solvent - water (H2O), is substituted with heavy water (D2O), aiming to understand the isotopic influence and the effect of H-bond networks on the zeolite crystallisation. The crystallinity, viscosity, conductivity, chemical composition, morphology and local order of the FAU zeolites synthesized in both hydrated (H) and deuterated (D) medium are evaluated with X-ray diffraction, TEM microscopy, EDX and ICP analysis, FT-IR and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The structural directing agent - Na+, exhibits a lower mobility in the deuterated medium, because of a characteristic higher viscosity compared to hydrated medium. This leads to a slower nucleation and crystallisation in the initial stages of hydrothermal treatment in the colloidal suspensions but also to a significant difference in the Al distribution.

Genetic algorithm optimized artificial neural network models of single- and multi-component gas adsorption isotherms for hydrogen purification

Accurate isotherm models contribute to predicting the amount of adsorbate adsorbed in the adsorbent within a certain range of pressure and temperature. Experimental adsorption isotherms of five components (CO2, CO, N2, CH4 and H2) on pelletized zeolite 13X from publication data were correlated with common-used fundamental isotherm models, including Langmuir, Sips, dual-site Langmuir (DSL), and temperature-dependent (TD) isotherm models, including TD Langmuir, TD Sips and TD DSL. Overall, the average relative errors (AREs) of TD models are higher than those of common-used fundamental isotherm models, but TD models have better applicability. In addition, three surrogate artificial neural networks (ANNs) optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) of single- and multi-component gas adsorption isotherm models are proposed. Three GA-ANN models set the adsorption amount as the output and take one, two or three potential inputs, such as adsorption pressure, temperature and adsorbate components. Three GA-ANN models generally have lower AREs and better applicability than fundamental isotherm models and TD isotherm models. The proposed GA-ANN3 model, which has three inputs, makes a new attempt at adsorption isotherms and can fit the multi-component gas adsorption at different temperatures with the change of adsorption pressure. The adsorber dynamics for multi-component adsorption (CO2: CO: N2: H2 = 19.9: 0.1: 44.6: 35.4 mol%) in zeolite 13X bed are compared by the extended TD Langmuir model and extended TD DSL model. Since the AREs of the TD DSL model are smaller than that of the TD Langmuir, the breakthrough curves of multi-component gas simulated by the TD DSL model are better than that of TD Langmuir. These results can contribute to relevant researchers choosing suitable adsorption isotherm models for numerical simulations of adsorption processes.

Adsorption-Induced Deformation of Zeolites 4A and 13X: Experimental and Molecular Simulation Study.

Gas adsorption in zeolites leads to adsorption-induced deformation, which can significantly affect the adsorption and diffusive properties of the system. In this study, we conducted both experimental investigations and molecular simulations to understand the deformation of zeolites 13X and 4A during carbon dioxide adsorption at 273 K. To measure the sample's adsorption isotherm and strain simultaneously, we used a commercial sorption instrument with a custom-made sample holder equipped with a dilatometer. Our experimental data showed that while the zeolites 13X and 4A exhibited similar adsorption isotherms, their strain isotherms differed significantly. To gain more insight into the adsorption process and adsorption-induced deformation of these zeolites, we employed coupled Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations with atomistically detailed models of the frameworks. Our modeling results were consistent with the experimental data and helped us identify the reasons behind the different deformation behaviors of the considered structures. Our study also revealed the sensitivity of the strain isotherm of zeolites to pore size and other structural and energetic features, suggesting that measuring adsorption-induced deformation could serve as a complementary method for material characterization and provide guidelines for related technical applications.

Integration of adsorption based post-combustion carbon dioxide capture for a natural gas-fired combined heat and power plant

This paper proposes a continuous CO2 capture system for natural gas combined heat and power (CHP) facility and explores the potential of low-temperature vacuum-swing adsorption (VSA) process for post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC) in the context of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Although VSA has strong potential for efficient CO2 capture in district-scale energy systems, previous case studies have largely focused on high-emission coal combustion sources, making VSA application challenging for these conditions. We address this issue by theoretically designing a ready-to-operate flue gas cleaning process with CCS for a medium-sized 4.3 MW natural gas CHP operating in the local industry. Our in-depth analysis examines the most critical parts such as dehydration, involving condenser and temperature-swing adsorption (TSA), and CO2 capture via VSA. The conceptual design and performance of VSA are approached by developing a mathematical model to estimate the technology size and performance. This work shows that utilising a small fraction of heat recovered from CHP-generated flue gas is sufficient to supply the necessary heat for auxiliary units, and that using natural cooling water for dehydration effectively reduces moisture (87 vol%) and energy demand for final dehydration via TSA. Furthermore, it demonstrates that 4-step VSA consisting of 15 columns using zeolite 13X can separate CO2 with a desired purity of 90.4%, meeting the requirements for CO2 storage and transportation onshore, at a 15.6% recovery rate. The cost of achieving high CO2 purity without pre-pressurising the CO2-rich flue gas, while maintaining cycle simplicity, is discussed. Overall, our paper provides a comprehensive approach to retrofitting distract-scale power plants with CO2-lean emissions, presenting a ready-to-operate flue gas cleaning technology based on real operating conditions and technical restrictions, which can contribute towards decarbonisation.

Direct imaging of local atomic structures in zeolite using optimum bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Zeolites are used in industries as catalysts, ion exchangers, and molecular sieves because of their unique porous atomic structures. However, direct observation of zeolitic local atomic structures via electron microscopy is difficult owing to low electron irradiation resistance. Subsequently, their fundamental structure-property relationships remain unclear. A low-electron-dose imaging technique, optimum bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (OBF STEM), has recently been developed. It reconstructs images with a high signal-to-noise ratio and a dose efficiency approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional methods. Here, we performed low-dose atomic-resolution OBF STEM observations of two types of zeolite, effectively visualizing all atomic sites in their frameworks. In addition, we visualized the complex local atomic structure of the twin boundaries in a faujasite (FAU)-type zeolite and Na+ ions with low occupancy in eight-membered rings in a Na-Linde Type A (LTA) zeolite. The results of this study facilitate the characterization of local atomic structures in many electron beam-sensitive materials.

Process steam generation from low-grade waste heat in a direct- contact adsorption heat pump based on superhydrophobic surface-modified Zeolite 13X

ABSTRACT Adsorption heat pump (AdHP) is a potential technology to recover and storage low-temperature waste heat. This paper presents an experimental research on direct low-pressure process steam generation from hot water based on superhydrophobic surface-modified zeolite 13X. The measured water contact angle of the modified zeolite is larger than 150°, which restricts free water entering the pores inside the zeolite particles. Cyclic experiments are conducted for performance evaluation. High-temperature steam (205–229°C, 0.1–0.3 MPa) is generated from hot water (72°C) in the AdHP driven by dry air (130°C). The temperature of generated steam is promoted with increasing preset steam pressure, among which the temperature is raised by about 23°C at 0.3 MPa. As the boiling point of water rises simultaneously, the sensible heat demand is increased. Thus, the mass of the steam is accordingly decreased. GTL (gross temperature lift) reaches 130°C. When the preset pressure is increased, COPh (coefficient of performance for heating) and SHP (specific heat power) for direct steam generation are decreased by 36% and 39%, respectively. One feasible option to elevate these two indicators is to increase the inlet water to near boiling water to match the change in the preset pressure. However, the GTL will be decreased based on the option. Balance should be made based on the choice of design for practical application.

Hydrogen production through agro-residue gasification and adsorptive separation

The present work reports on the characterization of mixed agro-residue pellets and their subsequent use for syngas generation in a laboratory-scale downdraft gasifier utilizing the mixture of oxygen and steam as the gasifying agent (equivalence ratio/steam to biomass ratio: 0.21/2.15). Pure hydrogen is realized in a vacuum pressure swing adsorption system using zeolite 13X adsorbent. Regarding pellets, the high ash content (11.46 ± 0.38 wt%) and the presence of inorganic elements (potassium, silicon, calcium) dictate gasification process level interventions. The key requirement established experimentally is maintaining the reactor temperature under 900 °C for a clinker-free operation. This prerequisite, accomplished through an optimized char-ash extraction rate, enables the consistent production of hydrogen-rich (42.2 ± 0.9 vol%) syngas with a lower heating value of 8.3 ± 0.2 MJ/Nm3 at a gross cold gas efficiency of 78.9%. The cyclic separation system operates at a pressure ratio of 7.5 and continually generates pure hydrogen with minimal contaminants. The oxy-steam gasification of high ash feedstock in a near-ambient fixed-bed reactor and its integration to a low-pressure swing adsorption system for practical multi-specie syngas separation with quality assessment of the produced hydrogen are the main novelty features.

CO2-Induced Gate-Opening Adsorption on a Chabazite/Phillipsite Composite Zeolite Transformed from a Faujasite Zeolite Using Organic Structure-Directing Agent-Free Steam-Assisted Conversion.

Organic structure-directing agent-free steam-assisted conversion and Cs+ ion exchange were used to transform the faujasite (FAU)-type zeolite to the Cs+-type chabazite/phillipsite (CHA/PHI) composite zeolite. Compared with the pure PHI-type zeolite, the Cs+-type CHA/PHI zeolite showed gate-opening CO2 adsorption behavior and good thermal stability. In situ powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) of the CO2 adsorption was measured to elucidate the mechanism for the gate-opening adsorption on the CHA/PHI zeolite. The Na+-type CHA/PHI zeolite did not show such adsorption behavior, and the PXRD pattern of the Na+-type CHA/PHI zeolite did not change with increasing CO2 partial pressure, which suggests that this unique adsorption behavior was caused by the PHI framework transition or Cs+ ions moving in both the CHA and PHI frameworks. Furthermore, in situ Fourier-transform infrared spectra of CO2 adsorption and CO2 breakthrough measurement on the Cs+-type CHA/PHI zeolite suggest that the CHA and PHI frameworks in the CHA/PHI zeolite shared eight-membered-ring windows and that CO2 molecules could easily diffuse from a CHA cage to a PHI framework. The ideal adsorbed solution theory was used to calculate the CO2/N2 separation selectivity for the Cs+-type CHA/PHI zeolite. At 298 and 318 K, the Cs+-type CHA/PHI composite zeolite showed a high CO2/N2 separation coefficient of >10,000 compared with other zeolites with high CO2 adsorption capacity. Furthermore, the CO2 working capacity was calculated for the Cs+-type CHA/PHI zeolite in both the pressure- and temperature-swing processes, and the results showed that the CHA/PHI composite zeolite could selectively separate CO2 from the CO2/N2 gas mixtures released from power generation plants operating using these processes.

Effects of Cold Sintering on the Performance of Zeolite 13X as a Consolidated Adsorbent for Cesium.

Cold sintering, a novel low-temperature consolidation technique, has shown promising results in various inorganic materials. However, the application of this technique to nanoporous materials for energy and environmental fields is not yet fully understood. This study investigates the effects of cold sintering on the relative densities, compressive strengths, chemical durabilities, crystal structures, specific surface areas, and adsorption capacities of zeolites. Cold sintering at 200 °C achieved 10 to 20% greater densification than conventional high temperature (700 °C) sintering; however, the original nanoporous structure of dry cold sintered zeolite was not maintained. Introducing liquid agents during the cold sintering process resulted in reduced degradation of the SSA and increased densification. Using NaOH as the liquid agent increased the solubility of elements in zeolite, which promoted chemical mobility and achieved the highest relative density (96.7 ± 2.8%). However, soluble layers between the particles led to fragmentation, making it unsuitable for aqueous applications. Using H2O as the liquid agent resulted in a relative density of 90.4 ± 4.1% while maintaining the nanoporous properties and structural integrity of zeolite under water. The cesium adsorption capacity (19.0 ± 0.1 mg·g-1) was similar to that of conventional zeolite ion exchangers, indicating that cold sintering with H2O was an efficient, economical, and safer alternative to conventional high-temperature consolidation method. Our findings suggest that this cold sintering can be applied to other nanoporous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks, in separation, catalysis, and adsorption applications.

Feasibility assessment of a novel compressed carbon dioxide energy storage system based on 13X zeolite temperature swing adsorption: Thermodynamic and economic analysis

This paper proposes a novel compressed CO2 energy storage system based on 13X zeolite temperature swing adsorption (TSA). Based on 13X zeolite adsorption gas storage and exothermic and desorption heat storage characteristics, the system could accomplish high-density storage of low-pressure CO2 and efficient heat circulation. Evaluate the system investment by economic analysis model, and apply the law of thermodynamics to perform energy and exergy analysis. Under the design conditions, the round-trip efficiency, the efficiency of the system, the energy storage density, and the investment cost per unit power were 88.88%, 69.30%, 6.23 kWh/m3, and 1.22 k$/kW, respectively, which demonstrates that the system is strongly feasible and has broad engineering application prospects. Sensitivity analysis results suggest that adsorption temperature and desorption temperature positively and negatively affect system performance. The storage pressure and temperature have a trade-off relationship and almost opposite effect on the system. The lower pinch point temperature difference assists in improving the thermodynamic performance of the system but leads to added cost. System thermal and economic performance have a gamble relationship in the equipment efficiency dimension.

Thermodynamic analysis of a novel trans-critical compressed carbon dioxide energy storage system based on 13X zeolite temperature swing adsorption

As a promising large-scale physical energy storage technology, the main challenge of compressed CO2 energy storage currently is the issue of low-pressure CO2 high-density storage. To address that issue, a novel trans-critical compressed CO2 energy storage system based on 13X zeolite variable temperature adsorption (TSA-TC-CCES) is proposed in this paper. Based on the principle of 13X zeolite adsorption gas storage, combined with the temperature swing adsorption (TSA) method and contact heat exchange scheme, it realizes low-pressure CO2 high-density storage and real-time internal circulation of heat. Under the design conditions, the adsorption tower volume, system round-trip efficiency, energy storage density, energy efficiency, and energy cycle efficiency are 360.55 m3, 89.19%, 6.29 kW ⋅ h/m3, 70.8%, and 93.53%, respectively. The sensitivity analysis results indicate that energy storage density and round-trip efficiency decrease with increasing adsorption temperature while growing with increasing desorption temperature. The increase in storage pressure positively affects energy storage density, while the increasing storage temperature harms energy storage density. The release pressure at the critical point causes abrupt changes in system performance.

Multi-scale experimental investigation on the fluidization of Geldart B 13X zeolite particles: A comprehensive dataset for CFD validation

The fluidization of zeolite 13X in a bubbling fluidized bed was experimentally investigated. The objective is to analyze the fluidization behavior of particles in a lab-scale system with a total of 1.5 million particles, enabling accurate characterization of uncertainties. Validation datasets were generated for the fluidization process in a bench-scale rectangular unit. A comprehensive characterization of the particle properties, including size, density, coefficient of friction, coefficient of restitution, and minimum fluidization velocity, is presented using advanced diagnostic tools. Corresponding fluidized bed measurements, such as pressure drop and bed expansion, are reported under three test settings with different flow rates. The tested particles have a Sauter mean diameter of 1,345 μm and a density of 2,054 kg/m3. It is classified in Geldart group B for its vigorous bubbling and good mixing behavior. With increasing the superficial inlet velocity from 0.347 to 0.740 m/s corresponding to 1.41–3.01 Umf, where Umf = 0.2458 m/s is the minimum fluidization velocity, the particles tend to transit from bubbling flow to slug/plug flow regimes. Using high-speed imaging, bubble sizes and velocities in the pseudo-two-dimensional (2D) fluidized bed could be obtained directly. The data acquisition rate is 1200 fps, far above the quantities of interest (QoI) dominant frequency (typically below 10 Hz). The QoI obtained from this study were statistics of interface height, differential pressure, and particle velocities using particle image velocimetry. The results confirm consistency given the use of randomization and repeat in the run order as well as multiple batches of bed material. This experimental dataset can serve as a benchmark for validating numerical models and as a blind study for the multiphase flow modeling community.