Adsorption of natural gas and its whole components on adsorbents

Adsorption of each component of natural gas on adsorbent prepared from petroleum coke was studied. At 25 °C and 3.5 MPa, adsorption capacity of the components of natural gas are as follows: C3H8, H2S(0.980) > CO2(0.691) > C2H6(0.160) > CH4(0.136) > N2(0.096) (g/g). For natural gas, adsorption capacity is 145.2 (mL/mL) and delivery capacity is 105.7 (mL/mL). One equation between adsorption capacity and boiling point of adsorbed gas was firstly generalized. The adsorption capacity of different component like O2, N2, CH4, C2H6, CO2, H2S on adsorbents were predicted using the equation. The results fit well with the experimental data. The equation has significance in predicting the adsorption capacity for any component of natural gas. Charge-discharge tests were conducted 10 times, the result indicates that natural gas has significantly worse reversibility in adsorption and desorption in the adsorbent than that of CH4. The contents of the components after 10 charge-discharge show that the adsorption capacity drop of natural gas is due to the irreversible adsorption of heavy or polar components like C3H8, H2S.