Separation processes account for 10-15% of the world’s total energy consumption. In the petrochemical industry, the overall process economics is strongly influenced by the cost and efficiency of molecular separation processes. Ultra-deep desulfurization of fuels and ethylene/ethane separations are among the important but energy-intensive processes in refinery, and new less energy-intensive processes, including advanced adsorptive separation processes can be a potential supplement to greatly reduce energy consumption. This talk will highlight various strategies on separation process and adsorbent designs, to improve the adsorptive separation efficiency in fuel desulfurization and ethylene/ethane separations. In the first part of the talk, considering the complex fuel composition and adsorbent regeneration as the major challenges, our progress on reaction-assisted adsorptive desulfurization of low-S diesel and mercaptan-S gasoline, which involves the development of bifunctional catalytic adsorbents and cyclic adsorption-regeneration process will be reported. In the second part of the talk, ethane/ethylene separation using ethane-selective carbon materials and absolute molecular-sieving zeolites, which involves the development of functional microporous adsorbents will be further discussed.

Adsorptive separation for ultra-deep desulfurization and ethane/ethylene separation in petrochemical industry

2019 Spring National Meeting

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