Mathematical Modeling of Adsorption Process of Ethyl Acetate Impurity of Supercritical CO2 on Activated Carbon

Abstract

A mathematical model is described and applied for adsorption process of ethyl acetate from supercritical CO2 stream on activated carbon particles. This model has the ability of illustrating variation of effluent concentration towards different parameters such as flow rate, temperature and pressure. In this research, a vast area of operational conditions is experienced. Mass transfer resistance from bulk to solid surface and diffusion resistance inside the porous solid are considered. The bulk supercritical CO2 fluid is considered with axial dispersion along the bed. The adsorption mechanism in solid phase has been considered kinetically as a reversible first order adsorption/desorption reaction. Results of the breakthrough model are in acceptable agreement with experimental data.