Scanning electron microscopic (SEM), nitrogen absorption—desorption, and thermogravimetric experiments were conducted on one fresh 4A zeolite and three regenerated 4A zeolite samples taken from the top, middle, and bottom of a natural-gas dehydration bed. The results showed that parts of the regenerated zeolite are blocked due to collapse of the zeolite structure. As a result, the specific surface area, average pore volume, and average pore diameter of regenerated zeolite taken from the middle of the dehydration bed are less by about 59.15, 68.36, and 32.12%, respectively, than those of fresh zeolite. Because water molecules cannot enter the internal pores due to blockage caused by collapse of the zeolite structure, the gas-dehydration performance of the regenerated zeolites is reduced. Thermogravimetric analysis of zeolites that adsorbed water showed that the water-adsorption performance of the regenerated zeolites is 35.53% less and the hydrocarbon-adsorption performance of these zeolites is 18.95% greater than those of fresh zeolite.
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Translated from Khimiya i Tekhnologiya Topliv i Masel, No. 3, pp. 12 – 15, May – June, 2015.
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Li, C., Jia, W. & Wu, X. Experimental Failure-Mechanism Analysis of 4A Zeolites Used for Natural-Gas Drying. Chem Technol Fuels Oils 51, 245–251 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-015-0598-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-015-0598-5