SCI和EI收录∣中国化工学会会刊

中国化学工程学报 ›› 2024, Vol. 67 ›› Issue (3): 282-297.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2023.10.015

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High adsorption selectivity of activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve boosting CO2/N2 and CH4/N2 separation

Siang Chen, Wenling Wu, Zhaoyang Niu, Deqi Kong, Wenbin Li, Zhongli Tang, Donghui Zhang   

  1. The Research Center of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
  • 收稿日期:2023-07-30 修回日期:2023-10-12 出版日期:2024-03-28 发布日期:2024-06-01
  • 通讯作者: Donghui Zhang,E-mail address:donghuizhang@tju.edu.cn.
  • 基金资助:
    This research is financially supported by the renewable energy and hydrogen projects in National Key Research and Development Plan of China (2019YFB1505000).

High adsorption selectivity of activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve boosting CO2/N2 and CH4/N2 separation

Siang Chen, Wenling Wu, Zhaoyang Niu, Deqi Kong, Wenbin Li, Zhongli Tang, Donghui Zhang   

  1. The Research Center of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
  • Received:2023-07-30 Revised:2023-10-12 Online:2024-03-28 Published:2024-06-01
  • Contact: Donghui Zhang,E-mail address:donghuizhang@tju.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This research is financially supported by the renewable energy and hydrogen projects in National Key Research and Development Plan of China (2019YFB1505000).

摘要: Flue gas and coal bed methane are two important sources of greenhouse gases. Pressure swing adsorption process has a wide range of application in the field of gas separation, and the selection of adsorbent is crucial. In this regard, in order to assess the better adsorbent for separating CO2 from flue gas and CH4 from coal bed methane, adsorption isotherms of CO2, CH4 and N2 on activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve are measured at 303.15, 318.15 and 333.15 K, and up to 250 kPa. The experimental data fit better with Langmuir 2 compared to Langmuir 3 and Langmuir-Freundlich models, and Clausius-Clapeyron equation was used to calculate the isosteric heat. Both the order of the adsorbed amount and the adsorption heat on the two adsorbents are CO2 > CH4 > N2. The adsorption kinetics are calculated by the pseudo-first kinetic model, and the order of adsorption rates on activated carbon is N2 ≥ CH4 > CO2, while on carbon molecular sieve, it is CO2 ≥ N2 > CH4. It is shown that relative molecular mass and adsorption heat are the primary effect on kinetics for activated carbon, while kinetic diameter is the main resistance factor for carbon molecular sieve. Moreover, the adsorption selectivity of CH4/N2 and CO2/N2 were estimated with the ideal adsorption solution theory, and carbon molecular sieve performed best at 318.15 K for both CO2 and CH4 separation. The study suggested that activated carbon is a better choice for separating flue gas and carbon molecular sieve can be a strong candidate for separating coal bed methane.

关键词: Activated carbon, Carbon molecular sieve, Adsorbent evaluation, Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics, Heat of adsorption, Selectivity

Abstract: Flue gas and coal bed methane are two important sources of greenhouse gases. Pressure swing adsorption process has a wide range of application in the field of gas separation, and the selection of adsorbent is crucial. In this regard, in order to assess the better adsorbent for separating CO2 from flue gas and CH4 from coal bed methane, adsorption isotherms of CO2, CH4 and N2 on activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve are measured at 303.15, 318.15 and 333.15 K, and up to 250 kPa. The experimental data fit better with Langmuir 2 compared to Langmuir 3 and Langmuir-Freundlich models, and Clausius-Clapeyron equation was used to calculate the isosteric heat. Both the order of the adsorbed amount and the adsorption heat on the two adsorbents are CO2 > CH4 > N2. The adsorption kinetics are calculated by the pseudo-first kinetic model, and the order of adsorption rates on activated carbon is N2 ≥ CH4 > CO2, while on carbon molecular sieve, it is CO2 ≥ N2 > CH4. It is shown that relative molecular mass and adsorption heat are the primary effect on kinetics for activated carbon, while kinetic diameter is the main resistance factor for carbon molecular sieve. Moreover, the adsorption selectivity of CH4/N2 and CO2/N2 were estimated with the ideal adsorption solution theory, and carbon molecular sieve performed best at 318.15 K for both CO2 and CH4 separation. The study suggested that activated carbon is a better choice for separating flue gas and carbon molecular sieve can be a strong candidate for separating coal bed methane.

Key words: Activated carbon, Carbon molecular sieve, Adsorbent evaluation, Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics, Heat of adsorption, Selectivity