Long chain α-olefin is a high value intermediate of organic synthesis. The separation of α-olefin/paraffin with low energy consumption is a challenging problem in the process of efficient utilization of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis products. Adsorption separation is a promising alternative to the traditional energy-intensive distillation. Herein, a simulated moving bed unit was built and applied for the separation of C8 α-olefin/paraffin using NaX zeolite as adsorbent and cyclohexane as desorption reagent. Initial SMB parameters were determined reasonably by fixed bed chromatography pulse experiment and safety factor method. The parameters, including switching time, flow rates, and configuration, were further optimized by SMB experiments. The separation with low cost and energy consumption was developed with a 2-3-2-1 SMB configuration. The obtained purity of C8 α-olefin was 96.3% and the yield was 90.4%. The parameter design and optimization lay an important foundation for the industrial implementation of α-olefin/paraffin adsorption separation in the future.

Fishcher–Tropsch synthesis products contain ultrahigh-content α-olefins, which are of great value if the challenging separation of α-olefin/paraffin is achieved through energy-saving ways. Adsorption separation provides a promising alternative to distillation. One of the most significant differences between the adsorption separation of long-chain and light hydrocarbons is the steric hindrance of the molecular chain. Herein, a combination of window size, metal node spacing, and bending degree is proposed to quantitatively describe the structure–property relationship for the separation of long-chain α-olefin/paraffin on microporous materials. The adsorption capacity, selectivity, adsorption sites, and host–guest interactions of α-olefin/paraffin on CuBTC are investigated in detail to illustrate the structure–property relationship. The contributions of different interactions to the overall adsorption energy are innovatively quantified. This work guides the design of adsorbent structures and provides a generic approach to investigate the host–guest interactions during the adsorption or catalytic process of nanoporous materials.