Comparison of activated carbon and zeolite 13X for CO[sub 2] recovery from flue gas by pressure swing adsorption

Journal Article · Tue Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1995 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00041a020· OSTI ID:6557771

Chue, K T; Kim, J N; Yoo, Y J; Cho, S H ^[1]; Yang, R T ^[2]

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1. Korea Inst. of Energy Research, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)
2. State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

For the recovery of high purity CO[sub 2], two adsorbents, zeolite 13X and activated carbon, are examined. Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycle simulations are performed to compare the performance of different adsorbents in separation from two feed mixtures: 16/84 (v/v) CO[sub 2]/N[sub 2] and 26/74 CO[sub 2]/N[sub 2]. Despite high-temperature excursions in the adsorption step, zeolite 13X is a better adsorbent than activated carbon in nonisothermal, adiabatic PSA process due to favorable isotherm shape and equilibrium selectivity. Moreover, a higher temperature excursion for 13X during the product (CO[sub 2]) purge step reduces the purge gas amount and this actually helps PSA performance. High purity of CO[sub 2] (over 99%) can be produced by zeolite 13X at higher recoveries (53% from low-CO[sub 2]-concentration flue gas and 70% from high-CO[sub 2]-concentration flue gas) and higher productivities than carbon. In selecting an appropriate adsorbent, high working adsorption capacity, high equilibrium selectivity, and low purge gas requirement dominate the separation by PSA process whereas the heat effects play a secondary role. A simple criterion is proposed for a priori adsorbent selection.

• OSTI ID: 6557771
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States), Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States) Vol. 34:2; ISSN IECRED; ISSN 0888-5885
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACTIVATED CARBON
ADSORBENTS
ADSORPTION
ADSORPTION HEAT
ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEANING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
ELEMENTS
ENTHALPY
EVALUATION
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GASEOUS WASTES
INDUSTRY
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
ISOTHERMS
KILNS
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METAL INDUSTRY
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICATE MINERALS
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WASTES
ZEOLITES