USE OF CLINOPTILOLITE IN ETHANOL DEHYDRATION

Clinoptilolite-type natural zeolite, which exists in various regions o f Turkey, has been experimentally studied. For the ethanol-water-local clinoptilolite system, uptake and breakthrough curves were determined under a nitrogen gas atmosphere. In adsorption kinetics and adsorptio n equilibrium studies, the effects of particle size, temperature and, amount of zeolite on the uptake rate have been investigated. The break through curves for four different flow rates of ethanol and three diff erent bed heights were determined in dynamic column studies. The resul ts of the experiments show that intraparticle diffusion is the main re sistance. The local clinoptilolite is a promising adsorbent for water adsorption from aqueous ethanol.