CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve specifications
| Property | Unit | Value | Test condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape / size | mm | Bead 1.6–2.5 / 3.0–5.0 | — |
| CO adsorption capacity | ml/g | [value] | 25 °C, 1 atm |
| Bulk density | g/ml | ≥ 0.70 | Tapped |
| Crush strength | N | ≥ 35 / ≥ 100 | Avg. of 25 beads (1.6–2.5 / 3.0–5.0 mm) |
| Loss on attrition | % wt | ≤ 0.20 | — |
| Loss on ignition | % wt | ≤ 1.5 | 550 °C, 1 h |
| Packing | — | 150 kg steel drum | — |
Where is CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve used?
CO adsorbent molecular sieve is used to recover high-purity CO from syngas and tail gases, and to strip trace CO from hydrogen, methane and nitrogen streams.
CO recovery by PSA
Concentrates CO from syngas, converter gas or tail gas for chemical synthesis.
Chemical synthesis feed
CO feed for acetic acid, oxalic acid / ethylene glycol, DMF and phosgene plants.
Hydrogen purification
Removes CO that would poison downstream catalysts or fuel cells.
Methane & nitrogen polishing
Takes trace CO out of CH₂ and N₂ product streams.
CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve vs other adsorbents: which do you need?
Choose a copper-exchanged sieve when CO must be separated from N₂ or CH₄; conventional 5A and 13X adsorb CO only weakly and with poor selectivity.
| Adsorbent | CO selectivity | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| CO adsorbent (this product) | High — Cu⁺ π-complexation | CO recovery and CO removal |
| 5A molecular sieve | Low to moderate | PSA hydrogen, general gas purification |
| 13X molecular sieve | Low | H₂O and CO₂ removal |
What is CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve?
CO adsorbent molecular sieve is a zeolite in which part of the cations are exchanged with copper, giving it a much stronger and more selective affinity for carbon monoxide than ordinary molecular sieves.
Type
Cu-exchanged synthetic zeolite
Adsorbs
CO (strongly, reversibly)
Weakly held
H₂, N₂, CH₄
How does CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve work?
Cu⁺ sites bind CO through π-complexation, which is stronger than physical adsorption but still reversible, so CO is held at high pressure and released when pressure drops.
- Feed gas enters the bed — pretreated syngas or process gas flows through the adsorber.
- CO is captured on Cu⁺ sites — H₂, N₂ and CH₄ pass through as raffinate.
- CO is released by depressurisation — vacuum or low-pressure purge gives the CO-rich product.
When should you use CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve?
Use it whenever CO has to be recovered or removed selectively from gases that also contain N₂, CH₄ or H₂.
- Feed has been pretreated: O₂, CO₂, H₂O and sulfur compounds reduce performance and must be removed upstream.
- CO purity target is too high for cryogenic or membrane routes at your scale.
- The plant already runs, or can run, a PSA / VPSA cycle.
How do you regenerate CO Adsorbent Molecular Sieve?
In normal operation it is regenerated by pressure swing or vacuum; after contamination it can be thermally reactivated under dry, oxygen-free inert gas.
Cycle regeneration
Depressurisation / vacuum
Reactivation
[Temperature] °C under dry N₂
Avoid
Oxygen, moisture and sulfur in the feed
