Pressure swing adsorption reactors: Simulation of three-step one-bed process

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · AIChE Journal (American Institute of Chemical Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.690400705· OSTI ID:6967393

Lu, Z P; Rodrigues, A E ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Porto (Portugal). Lab of Separation and Reaction Engineering

A three-step (feed, delay, and purge), one-column pressure swing adsorption reactor has been analyzed. An equilibrium model taking into account species mass balances, overall mass balance, momentum balance, reaction rate, and nonlinear multicomponent adsorption equilibrium isotherms was derived to describe the PSA reactor process. Numerical solution of model equations was obtained by using the method of orthogonal collocation on finite elements, and simulation results showed that 10--20% higher conversion than reaction equilibrium conversion in a fixed-bed reactor could be obtained from the PSA reactor for a reversible reaction A [r reversible] B + C, such as dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene and hydrogen on cadmium-exchanged zeolites, where only product B was assumed to be adsorbed. When both reactant A and product B are adsorbed, 10% higher conversion over the reaction equilibrium limit was observed for pure reactant feed. The effects of system and operating parameters on the process performance of the PSA reactor have been studied, as well as the bed dynamics of the PSA reactor at the cyclic steady state.

• OSTI ID: 6967393
• Journal Information: AIChE Journal (American Institute of Chemical Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: AIChE Journal (American Institute of Chemical Engineers); (United States) Vol. 40:7; ISSN 0001-1541; ISSN AICEAC
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400* -- Petroleum-- Processing
ADSORPTION
ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS
ALKANES
ALKENES
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
DEHYDROGENATION
ETHANE
ETHYLENE
HYDROCARBONS
ISOTHERMS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
OPTIMIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SORPTION
YIELDS