Screening activated carbons produced from recycled petroleum coke for acid gas separation. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jacobs, John H.; Chou, Nancy; McKelvie, Kaylan H.; Commodore, Jerry A.; Sui, Ruohong; Lesage, Kevin L.; Wynnyk, Kyle G.; Xiao, Ye; Biesinger, Mark C.; Hill, Josephine M.; Marriott, Robert A.
• Is Part Of: Carbon trends. Number 10(2022)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: H2S adsorption -- Petroleum coke -- Activated carbon -- Waste material; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbon composites -- Periodicals; Carbon; Carbon composites; Periodicals; 620.193
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2022.100243
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2667-0569

Abstract

Highlights: Multicomponent adsorption is reported on seven activated carbons. The activated carbons have a low affinity to water. Petroleum coke waste makes H2 S selective activated carbons. Increased graphitic character correlates to a higher H2 S selectivity. Abstract: Activated carbons derived from petroleum coke (petcoke) have the potential to (a) help reduce sulfur dioxide emissions through desulfurization, (b) help reduce carbon dioxide and (c) utilize a common waste product. Herein we present results for the selective adsorption of H2 S and CO2 from a synthetic sour gas mixture using 7 activated carbons, four derived from petcoke and three obtained commercially. The petcoke activated with sodium hydroxide (P_Na) showed an H2 S/CH4 selectivity up to S H₂S/CH₄ = 152 in temperature swing adsorption experiments. The H2 S/CH4 selectivity was observed to be inversely proportional to the BET apparent surface area and directly proportional to the oxygen content of the activated carbons. H2 S/CH4 and H2 S/CO2 selectivity for P_Na was found to increase with increasing temperature. The P_Na activated carbon maintained a high H2 S selectivity ( S H₂S/CH₄ > 50 and S H₂S/CO₂ > 20) after regeneration at temperatures of T = 423 – 723 K. Pure component CH4, CO2, and H2 S adsorption isotherms at T = 288.15 K, 298.15 K and 308.15 K were collected and used to estimate the multi-component adsorption. The results of these studies indicate that the petcoke activated carbons are viable materials for separating H2 S and CO2 from sour natural gas streams or biogas. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract