Abstract: The separation performance of 5A zeolite adsorbent for normal and isomeric alkanes was evaluated by dynamic pulse experiment and simulated moving bed experiment. The 5A zeolite adsorbent samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, N2 physical adsorption, and the effects of the type and the content of olefin on the separation performance of 5A zeolite adsorbent were investigated. The results of dynamic pulse experiment showed that the olefins with different structures in the adsorbent had different effects on the separation performance of 5A zeolite adsorbent, and isomeric olefins or cyclic olefins had a greater impact on the separation performance of 5A zeolite adsorbent than that of normal olefins. The results of simulated moving bed experiment showed that the yield of n-alkanes was decreased by about 5.6 percentage points when the mass fraction of cyclohexenes was 2%. Due to the reaction of isomeric olefins or cyclic olefins on the surface of molecular sieve, some mesoporous pores were blocked, which resulted in the decrease of the adsorption rate of 5A zeolite adsorbent for n-alkanes and the deterioration of separation performance.

Key words: 5A zeolite, adsorbent, olefin, separation performance, simulated moving bed