Comparison of AgNO3/Clay and AgNO3/ALSG sorbent for ethylene separation

Two pi-complexation adsorbents, AgNO3/clay and AgNO3/ALSG, were prepared by dispersing AgNO3 on clay and aluminosilica substrate, respectively. Incipient wetness method was used in preparing the adsorbents. Adsorption capacities of AgNO3/ALSG and AgNO3/clay for ethylene at 25 degrees C and 1 atm were 1.81 mmol/g and 1.26 mmol/g, respectively. Binary adsorption measurement shows that the selectivity of A-NO3/ALSG for ethylene at total pressure of 900 mmHg and 25 degrees C was twice as high as that of A-NO3/clay in the composition range of C-2 gas Zn mixture of practical importance. The performance of AgNO3/ALSG has been compared with that of AgNO3/clay by simulating a 3-bed VSA process. The simulation revealed that the recovery with AgNO3/ALSG was higher by 4% at the purity of 99.9% than that with the AgNO3/clay.