Natural gas treating by selective adsorption: Material science and chemical engineering interplay

The paper addresses current needs in Natural Gas (NG) treating. Basic principles of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) separation processes are described. A state of the art of microporous adsorbents in the frame of NG treating is given. It includes reference and advanced zeolites, carbon based materials and Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). The pros and cons of each material category are discussed. Guidelines to develop on-purpose materials are given from thermodynamics and material state of the art. Finally, PSA applicability to inert (nitrogen and carbon dioxide) rejection from NG is discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.