CHE 523

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LAB 2

ASSIGNMENT: ADSORPTION






1.0 INTRODUCTION

Adsorption is a condition when it attract and retain the molecules of a substance on the
surface of a liquid or a solid resulting into a higher concentration of the molecules on the
surface .The substance is being adsorbed on the surface is called the adsorbate and the
substance on which it is absorbed is known as adsorbent.

General principle of adsorption:
Adsorption systems operate in a three step cycle: adsorb CO2, purge (remove impure gases)
and evacuate (remove/desorb CO2).


Figure 1.General principles of adsorption



ADSORPTION ABSORPTION
The condition that lets
adsorption occurs is only
when it becomes contact with
a surface,it occurs only at the
surface of the adsorbent.
Where does it occur? It is bulk phenomenon as it
occurs throughout the body
of the material.
In this phenomenon,
the concentration on the
surface of adsorbent is
different from that in the
bulk.
Concentration In this phenomenon,
the concentration is same
throughout the material.
Its rate is high in the
beginning and then
decreases till equilibrium is
attained.
Rate Its rate remains same
throughout the process


2.0 PROCESS

Adsorption occurs three main processes. Firstly, the contaminant is transferred from
the bulk gas stream to the external surface of the adsorbent material. In the second step, the
contaminant molecule diffuses from the relatively small area of the external surface (a few
square meters per gram) into the macropores, transitional pores, and micropores within each
adsorbent. Most adsorption occurs in the micropores because the majority of available
surface area is there (hundreds of square meters per gram). In the third step, the contaminant
molecule adsorbs to the surface in the pore. Figure 1 below illustrates this overall mass
transfer, diffusion, and adsorption process. Steps 1 and 2 occur because of the concentration
difference between the bulk gas stream passing through the adsorbent and the gas near the
surface of the adsorbent. Step 3 is the actual physical bonding between the molecule and the
adsorbent surface. This step normally occurs more rapidly than steps 1 and 2.





Figure 1.The main process of adsorption

The asorbate diffuse to the surface of the adsorbent and are retained
because of weak attractive forces, while the carrier gas passes through the bed
without being adsorbed.



3.0 EFFECT OF CARRIER GAS FLOWRATE ON ADSORPTION PROCESS
The contact or residence time between the gas stream and adsorbent depends on the gas
velocity through the adsorber bed. Thus, the resident time really affects the efficiency of the
adsorption process. The lower the gas velocity which means the longer the contact time
through the adsorbent bed, the greater is the probability of a contaminant molecule reaching
an available surface. In order to achieve 90% or more efficiency, most carbon adsorption
systems are designed for a maximum gas velocity of 100 ft/min (30 m/min) through the
adsorber. A lower limit of at least 20 ft/min (6 m/min) is maintained to avoid flow problems
such as channelling.

4.0 REFERENCES
Adamson, A. W.: Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 5th Ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York
(1990).
Israelachvili, J.: Intermolecular & Surface Forces, 2
nd
Ed., Academic Press, New York
(1991).
Hirasaki, G. J. : Structural interactions in the wetting and spreading of van der Waals
fluids, J. Adhesion Sci. & Tech., Vol 7, No. 3, 285-322 (1993).
Gas adsorption. Retrieved on 30
th
April from http://www.chem.ufl.edu.