ETANOL FUEL GRADE DENGAN METODE ADSORPSI DALAM KOLOM UNGGUN TETAP MENGGUNAKAN ADSORBEN CAO-ZEOLIT GRANULAR

Abstract

Ethanol is a renewable energy source that can reduce carbon emissions. Gasohol is a mixture of fuel grade ethanol with levels >99% with a premium that is used as a substitute for premium fuel. This study aims to obtain ethanol with levels >99% (fuel grade) through the method of adsorption in fixed bed column with granular CaO-zeolite adsorbent. Zeolite is modified by ion exchange contained in the zeolite with a solution of Ca(OH)2. This ion exchange will produce CaO-Zeolite. This research will study the effect of ethanol vapor flow rate and weight of CaO-zeolite adsorbent on levels of ethanol produced. Ethanol drying process begins with the distillation process to obtain ethanol up to ±95% levels followed by drying using adsorption method in a fixed bed column. Ethanol in the holding tank is evaporated at a temperature of ±80°C. Ethanol vapor is passed in a fixed bed column containing CaO-zeolite adsorbent, then the output is condensed by the condenser. Liquid ethanol output then stored and analyzed using picnometer. On the variation of flow rate of ethanol-water vapor mixture of 0.5 ml/sec obtained the highest concentration of ethanol is 95.617% after 15 minutes. For the flow rate of 1 ml/sec, the concentration of ethanol increased to 96.823% after 45 minutes and for the flow rate 1.5 ml/sec decreased the concentration of ethanol obtained 95.686% after 30 minutes. For fixed flow rate of ethanol-water vapor mixture 1 ml / sec with a weight of 150 grams adsorbent obtained the highest concentration of 97.272 after 5 minute. For the adsorbent weight 200 grams, the highest ethanol concentration increased to 98.68% after 10 minutes and the weight of adsorbent for 250 grams of the highest ethanol concentration obtained by 98.770% after 5 minutes.