PARAMETRIC STUDY OF THE PRESSURE SWING ADSORPTION PROCESS FOR GAS SEPARATION: A CRITERION FOR PORE DIFFUSION LIMITATION

Abstract

The performance for gas separation by pressure swing adsorption is determined by four dimensionless parameters, pore diffusion (D_et_c/a² ); bed utilization (u_ct_c/L); purge-to-feed ratio (γ): and feed composition (y_A0 ). The unique dependence of the product purities on these parameters are shown for binary-mixture separation on activated carbon. The importance of pore diffusion in PSA separation for binary mixtures may be assessed by the threshold value of D_et_c/a² = 43, above which pore diffusion is not important.