1/2 in. TAB Tabular Support Desiccant (60 lb Bag)

Description

Tabular Support 1/4 in. diameter (99.7% Alumina .01% Silica).

Tabular Alumina Balls (T-162) are sintered alpha alumina with very high-purity. The alumina is form of pure aluminum oxide which has been fired at such high temperatures (well over 1900°C) that practically all porosity and shrinkage is removed. It is essentially 100 percent alpha alumina (corundum). When the internal crystalline structure of tabular alumina is examined, large plate-like or tablet-like crystals are apparent. The shape of these crystals gives "tabular" alumina its name.

Typical Properties Properties

• Bulk Density: 135 lbs./ ft³
• Apparent Porosity: % 1.5
• Water Adsorption: % 0.4
• Specific Gravity: 3.6 to 3.8
• True Density, Ib/ft³: 248.9
• Specific Heat, BTU/lb/ºF: 0.31
• Heat Capacity, BTU/ft³/ºF: 78.0

Chemical Composition

• Al₂O₃: 99.7%
• SiO₂: 0.01%
• Fe₂O₃: 0.01%
• Na₂O: 0.20%

MSDS

Download Desiccant Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Features

• Abrasion resistant
• Shock resistant
• Inert
• Heat resistant
• Long life
• Purity 4

Benefits

• Long lasting because they are inert and can withstand exposure to most environments.
• A smooth ball alumina; the smoothness provides low pressure drop characteristics, eliminating the need for additional compressor horsepower to maintain operating pressure.
• Good thermal shock properties and very good resistance to the mechanical and abrasive actions found in catalyst support systems.
• High chemical purity, with over 99.7 percent AI2O3 content and minute traces of SiO2.
• Do not produce fines and dust to contaminate the product stream.
• Unaffected by either oxidizing or reducing atmospheres at temperatures well below the softening point. The balls are also practically insoluble in almost all aqueous acid and alkaline solutions.

Reason for Use

In chemical and petroleum processes which involve reactors, a chemically inert material is used to support the catalyst bed. Generally, the support material is in the form of balls, since that form gives the lowest pressure drop. High density balls also may be placed at the top of the bed to help ensure a uniform distribution of the gas or liquid flow across a down flow reactor tower or to prevent lifting of the bed in a reactor tower designed for up flow.

Tabular alumina balls are used as either catalyst support or cover media in numerous hydrocarbon and catalytic processes such as dehydrogenation, desulfurization, catalytic reforming, selective hydrogenation, catalytic isomerization, etc. Tabular aluminas balls, when used as support or cover media, have an application in practically every solid desiccant dehydration unit. Specifically, Tabular alumina balls are used as bed support media when dehydrating natural gas, air inert gases, and hydrocarbon liquids and gases.