Adsorption Prediction of Binary Mixtures on Adsorbents Used in Respirator Cartridges and Air-Sampling Monitors

Abstract

A mathematical method was developed for predicting the performance of respirator cartridges and air-sampling monitors in the presence of binary mixtures. This method uses only data for pure-component adsorption equilibrium to calculate the breakthrough curves of the two components in a binary vapor mixture. The Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory was used to calculate the adsorption equilibria for the components in a binary mixture. The adsorption capacities were then used in expressions similar to the modified Wheeler equation for pure compounds to determine the breakthrough curves for the binary mixture. This technique applies to a wide variety of binary mixture/adsorbent systems. In the present study it was successfully applied to the adsorption of four binary mixtures of acetone and m–xylene on activated carbon, three binary mixtures of acetone and styrene on activated carbon, and a binary mixture of carbon dioxide and water vapor on a molecular sieve. The predicted breakthrough curves were in agreement wi...