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Table 2 Properties of Solid Desiccants

Activated Molecular
Desiccant reference Silica gel alumina sieves
˚
Pore diameter (A) 10–90 15 3, 4, 5, 10
3
Bulk density (lb/ft ) 45 44–48 43–47

Heat capacity (Btu/lb F) 0.22 0.24 0.23

Minimum dew point ( F) 60 to 90 60 to 90 100 to 300
Design capacity (wt%) 4–20 11–15 8–16
Regeneration stream temp. ( F) 300–500 350–500 425–550

Heat of adsorption (Btu/lb) — — 1800
Source: Ref. 5.

capacity of the desiccant, which determines the loading design expressed as
the percentage of water to be adsorbed by the bed. The capacity decreases
as temperature increases.

12.5.1 Operation of Solid-Bed Dehydrator
The system may consist of two-bed (as shown in Fig. 7), three-bed, or
multibed operation. In the three-bed operation, if two beds are loading at
different stages, the third one would be regenerated. The feed gas in

Figure 7 Solid-bed dehydration process.

Copyright 2003 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.