Pemanfaatan Zeolit Alam Sebagai Adsorben Dalam Pemurnian Ethanol Dengan Methode Destilasi Adsorpsi

Natural Zeolite as an Adsorbent in Ethanol Purification Using the Adsorption Distillation Method

Abstract

The selection of natural zeolite as a water absorbent material in the ethanol purification process is based on the nature of zeolite itself as an adsorbent, other considerations are the abundant availability of zeolite in Indonesia and the relatively much cheaper price of natural zeolite. This study looked at the effect of particle size (mesh) of natural zeolite on water absorption in ethanol purification, observed the effect of variations in activation temperature of natural zeolite on the purity of ethanol applied in the adsorption distillation process, and observed the effect of variations in contact time in the absorption process on the purity of ethanol obtained using the adsorption distillation method. The results showed that 100 mesh zeolite obtained porosity value of 24.36% and water absorption capacity of 60.60%. While the 200 mesh zeolite obtained porosity value of 26.40% and the percentage of water absorption of 65.25%. The higher the activation temperature, the level of porosity and water absorption increases. At 100 mesh zeolite with a calcination temperature of 500 oC, the porosity percentage is 27.06% and the water absorption capacity is 67.48%. While at a calcination temperature of 700 ^oC, the porosity percentage is 31.50% and the water absorption capacity is 77.32%. The results obtained have the potential to increase the purity level of ethanol. Ethanol content in zeolite 100 mesh with a temperature of 700 oC obtained 94.61% and in zeolite 200 mesh with a calcination temperature of 700 oC obtained 94.73% ethanol content.