Contents

Fundamentals of Adsorption
Adsorbent properties
Adsorber design
Thermodynamics
Kinetics

Industrial applications

Fundamentals of
Adsorption
Surface phenomenon: unlike

absorption which is bulk

phenomenon
Diffusion of molecules
Useful in removing trace components
Used to recover compounds or get
rid of noxious substance
Principle
Distillation: Volatility
Extraction: Distribution coeffcient
Absorption: Solubility

Some common terms

Physical adsorption &

Chemisorption
Adsorption is always
EXOTHERMIC
Monolayer-Multilayer adsorption
Fixed bed adsorber

Adsorbent properties
Large internal surface area
Pore size distribution
Easily regenerated
Should not age rapidly with time
Mechanically strong enough to
withstand bulk handling and
vibrations
Some examples:

Molecular sieves, Activated carbon,

Silica gel, Activated Alumina

Adsorber design
Thermodynamics: Adsorption equilibrium
Langmuir Isotherm
BET Isotherm
Gibbs Isotherm

Adsorption kinetics

Determines efficiency of real process

Heat & Mass transfer limitations
Reaction kinetics limitations
Mixing & Diffusion in the inter-particle void space

Transport Mechanisms
Inter-particle transport mechanisms
Pore diffusion: Macropore diffusion
Solid diffusion: Surface diffusion or
micro-pore diffusion
Reaction kinetics at phase boundaries

Extra-particle transport mechanisms

External mass transfer
Mixing

Transport Mechanisms

Inside the adsorbent!

Local Equilibrium
Between Fluid Phase
and Adsorbent Phase

Cs
Cb
Bulk
Solution

Pore
Diffusion

Linear
Driving
Force

qr
Surface
Diffusion

Cp,r
r
R

Boundary
Layer

r+r

Fluid Phase
Mass
Flux

k f Cb Cs

Adsorbent Phase
Mass
Flux

Ds a

qr Dl p C p ,r

r
p
r

Industrial applications
V1009: Cracked gas drier: Molecular sieves
PSA: Pressure Swing Adsorption: Alcohols plant
Ion exchange bed: Demin water plant
IPA Odor removal: Solvents plant
Dehumidification of air (Desiccant): Air-sep
plant
Largest application in laboratories
Chromatograph
Gel permeation technique

Contents covered
Fundamentals of Adsorption
Adsorbent properties
Adsorber design
Thermodynamics
Kinetics

Industrial applications