Jordan University of Science and Technology
Sulfur Dioxide Removal using Natural Zeolitic Tuff
Authors:
Mohammad Al-Harahsheh , Reyad Shawabkeh, Marwan Batiha,
Adnan Al-Harahsheh, Kamel Al-Zboon
Abstract:
Adsorption of SO2 onto Jordanian zeolitic tuff (ZT)was examined in thiswork. ZT samples were characterized by
XRD, XRF, BET and TGA analyses. The sorption processwas carried out in a fixed bed columnat different operating
conditions. The unique measuring technique, namely UIC sulfur coulometer, for SO2 measurement was adopted
in this work. Uptake of SO2 by ZT was found to increase with increasing temperature up to a temperature of
200 ?C and then decrease at higher temperatures. Itwas also found that drying of ZT, by conventional and microwave
heating has a considerable effect on SO2 uptake and breakthrough time. Experimental data for adsorption
isotherms were obtained and found to followthe BET isothermmodel. Itwas found that the adsorption process is
exothermic in nature. Thermal pre-treatment was found to affect the adsorption capacity and breakthrough time
of ZT. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained after thermal pretreatment of ZT at a temperature of
200 ?C,which could be linked to the effect of heating on the destruction of crystal structure of phillipsite, the crystal
refinement of chabazite, and the formation of new aluminosilicate crystalline phases. ZT can be regenerated
and the initial adsorption capacity was preserved after three regeneration cycles.