ACTIVATION PROCESS OPTIMIZATION WITH NATURAL ZEOLITE CATALYST TESTING PROCESS OF ETHANOL DEHYDRATION

Natural zeolite to be used as a catalyst to be activated first, namely through the process of dealumination and calcination. This study aims to do the activation process by studying the influence of zeolite catalytic diameter natural zeolite and NH4Cl on the molarity of the solvent ethanol conversion in the catalytic test with ethanol dehydration process. The study consisted of 3 phases, namely dealumination, calcination and dehydration of ethanol. Variables remained in this research is the weight of catalyst (35 g), catalyst weight ratio (1:1), dealumination time, calcination, and dehydration (each 10 hours, 5 hours and 15 minutes), dealumination temperature, calcination, and dehydration (each - each 90oC, 600oC, and 180oC), and temperature of preparation of each instrument (30-50oC). Meanwhile, changing variables in this study is the diameter of natural zeolite (0.25 mm and 0.6 mm) and molar solvent NH4Cl (2 and 4 M). In the selection of influential variables, mathematical equation: Y = -74.48 + 209.85 33.11 X1 + X2 - 183.08 X12 - 4.58 X22 - X1X2 15.61, with the Y is the conversion of ethanol, X1 is the diameter of natural zeolite, and X2 is the molarity of the solvent NH4Cl.