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Fractionation of gas mixtures in a moving‐bed adsorber. I. Correlation of adsorber performance
Author(s) -
Kapfer William H.,
Malow Monroe,
Happel John,
Marsel Charles J.
Publication year - 1956
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.690020408
Subject(s) - methane , acetylene , ternary operation , chemistry , adsorption , fractionation , carbon dioxide , activated carbon , carbon fibers , analytical chemistry (journal) , chromatography , materials science , organic chemistry , composite material , composite number , computer science , programming language
The design and operation of a pilot‐scale‐moving bed adsorber to separate the various components of a gas mixture using activated carbon as the preferential adsorbent are described. A binary system, methane–acetylene, and a ternary system, methane–carbon dioxide–acetylene, were studied. The performance of the unit was analyzed by means of the transfer‐unit‐height (H.T.U.) concept based on the observed changes in gas composition during tower operation. For both the binary and ternary systems the transfer‐unit height was independent of feed‐gas composition but was found to vary linearly with the ratio of feed gas to carbon flow. The over‐all transfer‐unit‐height values based on either the gas or the adsorbed phase were observed to vary from 6.5 in. at 1.39 std. cu. ft./lb. carbon to 36.9 in. at 4.81 std. cu. ft./lb. carbon.