13X molecular sieve is the sodium form of the type X zeolite crystal, a synthetic alkali metal aluminosilicate with high porosity and high capacity. Its nominal 10 angstrom pore opening is the largest of the standard types: it admits every molecule the A type sieves take in, and larger molecules with wide critical diameters as well, among them aromatics and branched-chain hydrocarbons. mSORB 13X is supplied as spherical beads made for repeated adsorption cycles, and a spent bed can typically be regenerated by heating.
Chemical Formula: Na₈₆[(AlO₂)₈₆(SiO₂)₁₀₆]·nH₂O
Typical Applications
- General gas drying
- Removing water and carbon dioxide together from gas and air streams, including air prepurification ahead of cryogenic air separation plants, with the mSORB APGIII grade developed for prepurification units
- Sweetening natural gas and liquid hydrocarbon streams by removing H₂S and mercaptans
- Separating nitrogen from oxygen in PSA oxygen units, with the JLOX oxygen molecular sieve grades for that service
Sizes and Packaging
It ships in 55 lb (25 kg) and 308 lb (140 kg) drums and in super sacks; other sizes and forms are quoted on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 13X molecular sieve?
13X molecular sieve is a synthetic zeolite, also written zeolite 13X: the sodium form of the type X crystal, with a nominal pore opening of 10 angstroms. Its designation does not give the pore size the way the A types' numbers do. Molecules small enough to enter the pore are held; larger ones pass by.
How does 13X differ from 3A, 4A, and 5A?
3A molecular sieve, 4A molecular sieve, and 5A molecular sieve are type A zeolites with nominal openings of 3, 4, and 5 angstroms. 13X is built on the type X crystal, and its wider opening takes in everything the A types take in and larger molecules besides. That breadth is the reason to choose it, and also the reason not to where the stream itself must stay out of the pores: there an A type is typically specified. The family page compares the four standard types.
Is 13X used for air prepurification?
Yes. 13X takes up water and carbon dioxide together, which is why it is typically the standard choice for prepurification ahead of cryogenic air separation plants. For those units Interra Global also supplies mSORB APGIII, a grade developed specifically for air plant prepurification that typically draws on the same X framework.
Is 13X molecular sieve a desiccant?
Yes. Like the other standard types, 13X adsorbs water and holds it at low relative humidity, and general gas drying is among its typical uses. It is typically chosen where other molecules are to be taken up alongside water; where only water should be held, 3A or 4A is typically specified.
How is 13X regenerated?
Thermally, with a dry purge gas carrying the desorbed water and other adsorbed molecules out of the bed. The applicable conditions are given on the product data sheet.