Natural gas storage in microporous carbon obtained from waste of the olive oil production

Abstract

A series of activated carbons (AC) were prepared from waste of the olive oil production in the Cuyo Region, Argentine by two standard methods: a) physical activation by steam and b) chemical activation with ZnCl2. The AC samples were characterized by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K and evaluated for natural gas storage purposes through the adsorption of methane at high pressures. The activated carbons showed micropore volumes up to 0.50 cm3.g-1 and total pore volumes as high as 0.9 cm3.g-1. The BET surface areas reached, in some cases, more than 1000 m2.g-1. The methane adsorption -measured in the range of 1-35 bar- attained values up to 59 VCH4/VAC and total uptakes of more than 120 cm3.g-1 (STP). These preliminary results suggest that Cuyo's olive oil waste is appropriate for obtaining activated carbons for the storage of natural gas.