NATURAL GAS DESULFURIZATION: TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66960/jof.3093-8899.00032Keywords:
membrane separation, sulfur recovery, gas sweetening, hybrid technologiesAbstract
The increasing global demand for natural gas and stricter environmental regulations require efficient removal of acidic impurities such as H2S, SO2 , CO2 , and water vapor, which cause corrosion and contribute to climate change. Chemical absorption using alkanolamine solutions, particularly DEA and MDEA, remains the most widely used method, although long-term operation leads to corrosion, foaming, oxidative degradation, heat-stable salt formation, and increased operating costs. To address these challenges, composite absorbents based on DEA and MDEA modified with nitrogen-containing additives, water-soluble polymers, ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), and amine promoters were developed to enhance absorption capacity, reduce corrosion, and control foaming. Additionally, closed-cycle production systems using local mineral resources were proposed. LTA-type 4Å and 5Å zeolites were synthesized from Angren kaolin and characterized by SEM and XRD. The synthesized materials showed higher H2S adsorption capacity than commercial analogs, enabling the development of high-performance, import-substituting adsorbents and environmentally sustainable gas purification technologies.
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