Zeolite-based catalysts for exergy efficiency enhancement: The insights gained from nanotechnology

The need for optimization of energy consumption and its efficient utilization has become a serious challenge in recent years; hence, several groups from all around the world are attempting to find new ways for efficient usage and storage of energy. Various methods have been developed to save the energy through the most optimal routes. In this way, the use of inorganic materials and applying them as and/or with catalysts has taken a new pathway in scientific works. Nano-size HZSM-5 lies in a special class of zeolite-based catalysts which can be synthesized from diatomite as silica source using hydrothermal procedure. The impact of such catalysts on exergy efficiency enhancement in gasoline production from methanol or MTG process has been studied in this work. It was found that the exergy efficiency improves in the heat exchangers with the aid of HZSM-5 nano-size catalysts, and 210 °C was found as the optimum temperature in the towers at which the highest exergy efficiency and the least lost work in the process was achieved. Moreover, it was found that by increasing the pressure, hydrocarbons output rate in the tower increases continuously. Moreover, operating conditions of distillation column were studied to be optimized in order to enhance the exergy efficiency of fractionation unit. These all are gained from nano-scale catalysts synthesized in this work. Changing the feed injection tray improved the exergy efficiency of the distillation column. In the light of results, it was demonstrated that nano ZSM-5 catalyst increases the exergy efficiency of MTG process through a time- and cost-effective route.