Development of a Simulation Model for the Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption Process To Sequester Carbon Dioxide from Coalbed Methane

Abstract

Coalbed methane is a worthwhile potential energy source, because methane gas is eco-friendly and a huge amount of coalbed methane has been buried in the United States, China, Australia, etc. This paper introduces a new simulation model of a vacuum pressure swing adsorption process that has been widely used to purify unconventional gases such as coalbed methane and landfill gas. The developed mathematical model includes a novel interstitial gas velocity equation derived by using a mole balance concept and an overall mass balance equation. The model is verified by comparing with three sets of laboratory-scale (about 0.5 Nm3h–1) experimental data and one set of pilot-scale (100 Nm3h–1) design data. Because the differences between the simulation results and the data are reasonably small, one can conclude that the 200 times scale-up design through the new simulation model is successful.