Modeling the Generic Breakthrough Curve for Adsorption Process

Abstract: This work is aimed at understanding the basic principles of adsorption process in great details as adsorptive separation process has broad applications in the industry. To this end, a simple mathematical model has been used to describe transient fixed bed physical adsorption process. Governing equations are solved numerically to obtain breakthrough curves for single component and multi-component monolayer adsorption. Desorption of a saturated bed by an inert fluid is also considered. A full parametric study is performed to analyze the effects of different parameters such as bed length, velocity, diffusivity, particle radius and isotherm properties on the nature of the breakthrough curve. Analysis of these results led to the development of the generic breakthrough curve for a single component monolayer adsorption which will enable us to tell the nature of breakthrough curve for different process parameters without recourse to the numerical simulation or experiment. Thus this study will be of great interest in the industrial separation process.