Abstract
Volatile organic compounds are air pollutants that necessitate to be eliminated for health and environment concerns. In the present paper, two VOCs, that is, dichloromethane and acetone are recovered by adsorption on activated carbon from a nitrogen gas stream. Experimental adsorption isotherms of the two VOCs are determined at three different temperatures 298, 313, and 323 K by the dynamic column breakthrough method. The dynamic mathematical model succeeds to predict satisfactorily the experimental breakthrough curves for pure VOCs and different binary mixtures for various conditions. Thus, the validated dynamic mathematical model has been used as a simulation tool for optimization purposes of VSA and TSA processes in order to achieve the highest performances under the given constraints. The effects of the adsorption step duration, the vacuum pressure, and the desorption temperature on the recovery of dichloromethane and acetone have been studied. A recovery of 100% of the two VOCs could be attained. However, the adsorption step duration should be determined precisely so as not to affect the recovery and alter the quality of air being purified due to the breakthrough of VOCs. The vacuum pressure and the desorption temperature should be carefully chosen in order to both reduce the energy consumption and shorten the purge step duration. Regeneration by hot nitrogen stream seems to be more efficient than regeneration by reducing pressure.
Highlights
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constitute a heterogeneous group of substances with different physical and chemical behaviours, including alkanes, ketones, aromatics, paraffins, olefins, alcohols, ethers, esters, and halogenated and sulfur hydrocarbons [1, 2]
E mass transfer coefficients kLDF used in the linear driving model for dichloromethane and acetone are assessed by adjusting simulation results to experimental breakthrough curves. e kinetic parameters obtained for the two VOCs for adsorption on activated carbon are given in Table 2. e kLDF value retained corresponds to the minimum sum of squares (SS) considering the different breakthrough curves obtained for the different concentrations (similar to Equation (9))
Experimental adsorption isotherms of the two VOCs are determined at three different temperatures by the dynamic column breakthrough method. e developed simulation model using Aspen Adsorption software has been used successfully to predict the experimental breakthrough curves for pure VOCs and different binary mixtures for various conditions
Summary
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constitute a heterogeneous group of substances with different physical and chemical behaviours, including alkanes, ketones, aromatics, paraffins, olefins, alcohols, ethers, esters, and halogenated and sulfur hydrocarbons [1, 2]. Using Aspen Adsorption software, VSA and TSA cycle runs are performed for a binary VOCs mixture of dichloromethane/acetone (gas inlet concentrations 3000 ppm/ 1500 ppm) at 298 K and atmospheric pressure using activated carbon.
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