Transport and sorption of organic gases in activated carbon

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Journal of Environmental Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1996)122:3(169)· OSTI ID:207890

Lin, T F ^[1]; Little, J C ^[2]; Nazaroff, W W ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
2. Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)
3. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

The relationships among adsorption-desorption kinetics, equilibrium partitioning, and fixed-column breakthrough curves are elucidated for airborne benzene and vinyl chloride on activated carbon grains and fibers. An electrobalance is used to measure adsorption/desorption kinetics and to obtain equilibrium partitioning data; column experiments are conducted to determine additional equilibrium partitioning data and to measure breakthrough curves. A porous sphere/cylinder intragrain diffusion model, coupled with a Freundlich isotherm to describe equilibrium partitioning, conforms closely to the experimental kinetic data for both adsorption and desorption. In addition, it is shown that the adsorption isotherm may be accurately predicted based on the asymmetry between adsorption and desorption rates measured in a single kinetic experiment. The parameters extracted from the kinetic experiment, when combined with the appropriate transport equations, can be used to accurately forecast column breakthrough curves.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 207890
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Engineering, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Engineering Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 122; ISSN 0733-9372; ISSN JOEEDU
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACTIVATED CARBON
ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BENZENE
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
VINYL CHLORIDE