Adsorption Technology

Adsorption processes have many applications and, basically, can be categorised by three separation processes.

Based on the method of adsorbent regeneration

The adsorbent can be regenerated by a number of methods, such as the temperature swing adsorption (TSA) cycle, or the most rapidly growing process of pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The third method is the inert-purge cycle where the adsorbent is regenerated by passing a non-adsorbing, or weakly adsorbing, gas through the adsorber. In the displacement purge cycle, (fourth method) the purge gas adsorbs as strongly as the adsorbents contained in the mixture to be separated. The purge gas is referred to as the desorbent – this cycle is used only when the regeneration is not feasible by using the above-mentioned three cycles – for example, when a high temperature in the TSA system would damage the products. Mackenzie Hydrocarbons has project experience across the board.

Based on feed composition

The separation processes may also be divided into bulk separation and purification, depending on concentration of the strongly adsorbed component in the mixture. This differentiation is desirable because the feed concentration is frequently an important factor in selecting the process cycle. For example in the commercial process of hydrogen purification by PSA, the hydrogen content, which is nearly inert, is usually over 70% by volume.

Mackenzie Hydrocarbons has worked on a number of different adsorption processes -

  • Natural Gas Dehydration
  • LPG Sweetening / drying
  • Hydrogen Purification by Pressure Swing Adsorption
  • Silica Gel Separation of Heavy Hydrocarbons from Gas Streams
  • Desulfurization (sacrificial adsorbent) of Gases
  • Mercury removal (sacrificial adsorbent) from Natural Gas
  • Chloride Salts Removal, particularly purification of refinery hydrogen-rich streams (sacrificial)