Comparison of TSA and PSA

The classical method for the regeneration of an impurity-loaded adsorbent is to heat the adsorbent to high
temperature by hot gas. At high temperatures the adsorbents capacity is reduced, and impurities are desorbed.
After the adsorbent is regenerated, it must be cooled down to be ready for a new adsorption step. Although
the cleaning effect of temperature-swing regeneration is effective, it has the disadvantage that the number of
cycles obtainable in any given time is limited by the relatively slow heating and cooling process steps. For
this reason, the temperature-swing process is limited to the removal of small quantities of strongly adsorbed
impurities.
The removal of the adsorbed impurities in a pressure-swing adsorption system depends on reducing
adsorptive capacity by lowering the pressure at essentially constant temperature. Because pressure-swing
adsorption allows a much more rapid cycling, it can remove large quantities of impurities and also maintain
the ability to remove impurities to low levels.
A comparison between temperature-swing and pressure-swing regeneration is graphically represented in Figure
6: the adsorption isotherms show the adsorbed impurity loading as a function of pressure and temperature. In
a temperature-swing adsorption (TSA) cycle, the regeneration is carried out at constant pressure reducing the
loading by increasing the temperature. The loading can also be reduced at constant temperature by lowering
the pressure, which is the case in a pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) cycle.

Figure 6

TSA and PSA Regeneration Cycles

UOP 2730-6