Characterization and Valorization of Industrial Wastes (Molecular Sieves) in the Gas Complex of GP1/Z by BET and Surface Charge Method

Abstract

Industrial waste generates a supplementary cost for companies which must, by the force of law, take in charge their wastes, whether by their own means or through outside services. Molecular sieves used in the sections of dehydratation of natural gas become waste as soon as they are saturated and there is no possibility of regeneration. As a matter of fact, those of type 4Å are used in GP1/Z complex in Algerian company Sonatrach. Within the scope of this work the proposition to valorize these industrial wastes is put forward in the light of a series of analyses and experiments with distilled and polluted water. In this work a path is opened for further research valorization of the type 4Å saturated molecular sieves, used in the gas industry. After a simple wash with distilled water, we have noticed with the naked eye that our sample had changed color from black to white gray. We have repeated the same physical magnetism test, which was positive. We have carried a heat treatment at 100• C to remove physiosorbed water and 350• C heat treatment to remove the pore water. The surface area and pH of point of zero charge (pHPZC) of used zeolite were calculated as 37.54 m 2 g −1 and 6, respectively. The surface area and the pH of point of zero charge(pH PZC) of unused zeolite were calculated as 6.965 m 2 g −1 and 7, respectively.