Finite Element Modeling of Adsorption Processes for Gas Separation and Purification

Conference · Tue Sep 22 04:00:00 EDT 2009

OSTI ID:967218

Humble, Paul H; Williams, Richard M; Hayes, James C

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has expertise in the design and fabrication of automated radioxenon collection systems for nuclear explosion monitoring. In developing new systems there is an ever present need to reduce size, power consumption and complexity. Most of these systems have used adsorption based techniques for gas collection and/or concentration and purification. These processes include pressure swing adsorption, vacuum swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, gas chromatography and hybrid processes that combine elements of these techniques. To better understand these processes, and help with the development of improved hardware, a finite element software package (COMSOL Multiphysics) has been used to develop complex models of these adsorption based operations. The partial differential equations used include a mass balance for each gas species and adsorbed species along with a convection conduction energy balance equation. These equations in conjunction with multicomponent temperature dependent isotherm models are capable of simulating separation processes ranging from complex multibed PSA processes, and multicomponent temperature programmed gas chromatography, to simple two component temperature swing adsorption. These numerical simulations have been a valuable tool for assessing the capability of proposed processes and optimizing hardware and process parameters.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 967218
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-67474; NN2003000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ADSORPTION
Adsorption
CONVECTION
DESIGN
ENERGY BALANCE
FABRICATION
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
ISOTHERMS
MASS BALANCE
MONITORING
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PURIFICATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIMULATION
gas separation
nuclear explosion monitoring
pressure swing adsorption
radioactive xenon