An adsorption and desorption device for VOC

Abstract

The aim of this study was to perform a series of experiments with a new adsorption-desorption device. For adsorption of a volatile organic compound (in this study ethanol was chosen), 7 kinds of granulated activated carbon (GAC) were used. A matrix containing the volatile organic compound of 2 and 5 % aqueous stock solution of ethanol was used. In the device a gaseous phase of the matrix was adsorbed onto GAC (80g). The gaseous phase was acquired by stripping the stock solution with an air blower. The adsorbed gaseous phase was desorbed from GAC by high temperature. The desorbed molecules were condensed in the next part of the device and accumulated in a two-neck round bottom flask at the end of the device. After desorption, ethanol concentration was determined in the product. The air blower provided a closed cycle in which the adsorption and desorption took place. With the application of 7 kinds of GAC in this adsorption-desorption device an average ethanol content of 16.8 % from the 2 % stock solution was yielded in the product. In the case of the 5 % stock solution the product acquired an average ethanol concentration of 36 %. In some experiments, up to 9.7-times higher ethanol concentration was achieved in the product than at the beginning of the adsorption process.