Resource Sector
Resource Sector
Gas absorption of catalytic properties allow the use of natural zeolites for dealing with many airbone pollutants. They have a proven ability to absorb many oxides including sulfur and nitrogen. Zeolites also have unique ability o absorb moisture from air, providing excellent desiccant performance which can be useful for many applications.
Gas Separation: Zeolites are used for the separation of gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. Typical applications include: enriched oxygen supplies for steel mills, smelters; the ‘re-oxygenation’ of downstream water from sewage plants, smelters, pulp and paper plants and fish ponds; removal of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide from sour natural gas; removal of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide from methane generators such as organic waste, sanitary landfills, municipal sewage systems, animal waste treatment facilities; the removal of sulfur dioxide from stack gases such as coal generating plants (to limit sulfur dioxide emissions to 100 ppm for EPA standards); coal gasification from underground sources for the removal of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide.
Catalysts and Petroleum Refining: Although most of the zeolites used in the petroleum industry are synthetic, natural zeolites are starting to see usage. Typical applications include: removing water and carbon dioxide from gaseous hydrocarbons, removing hydrochloric acid from gas streams, assisting in hydrogen or chlorine drying, as well as assisting in chlorinated and fluorinated hydrocarbon purification, catalysis and natural gas separation.
Biogas Production: Thanks to its large surface area, Zeolite facilitates reactions in biogas fermenters and may serve as a carrier of trace elements. By using our zeolite solutions, Biogas operators can experience an increase in production of biogas from the organic solids and their digesters.
Promising ‘Emerging Uses’: A variety of promising uses for natural zeolite are also emerging. In Marine Oil spills, possibilities exist for fine particles of zeolite to be airdropped or pneumatically spread over the water/marine oil spill. The zeolite causes the oil to coagulate at the surface where it can be more efficiently “skimmed.” Alternatively, the coagulated mass will sink. At this point, bacteria (that can be added to the zeolite) can be structured to convert the oil to a safe compound. More study is being conducted in this area. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeolite)