Temperature swing adsorption process

摘要

Nitrogen oxides and low molecular weight hydrocarbons are removed from air by subjecting the air to a temperature swing adsorption process using as the adsorbent a composite zeolite product containing both zeolite type A and zeolite type X. The composite zeolite product is prepared by crystallizing a sodium ion- or sodium ion- and potassium ion-containing alumina-silica hydrogel under conditions which result in the production of a zeolitic composite which contains both zeolite type A and zeolite type X crystal domains. In a preferred embodiment, calcium ions constitute a substantial number of the composite's exchangeable cations and the type X portion of the composite zeolite product has a silicon-to-aluminum atomic ratio in the range of 0.9 to less than 1.15. The nitrogen oxide- and hydrocarbon-selective adsorbent can be incorporated into an atmospheric air prepurification plant downstream of a water vapor-selective adsorbent and a carbon dioxide-selective adsorbent.