Applications of Molecular Sieves

Molecular sieves are often utilized in the petroleum industry, especially for the purification of gas streams and in the chemistry laboratory for separating compounds and drying reaction starting materials. For example, in the liquid natural gas (LNG) industry, the water content of the gas needs to be reduced to very low values (less than 1 ppmv) to prevent it from freezing (and causing blockages) in the cold section of LNG plants.

They are also used in the filtration of air supplies for breathing apparatus, for example those used by scuba divers and firefighters. In such applications, air is supplied by an air compressor and is passed through a cartridge filter which, dependent on the application, is filled with molecular sieve and/or activated carbon, finally being used to charge breathing air tanks.[8] Such filtration can remove particulates and compressor exhaust products from the breathing air supply.