DESIGN OF

ADSORPTION SYSTEMS
 Conceptual design of
adsorption systems

conceptual design has a variety of

definitions but is generally understood
to lie somewhere between a process
concept and final engineering design
consisting of detailed plans and
specifications
 Conceptual design of
adsorption system
Conceptual design of an adsorption system
should consist of the following elements as a
minimum:

• process configuration and adsorbent selection

• integration of the adsorption process with other
processes
• major items of capital equipment and their
sizes
 Conceptual design
• general operating conditions
• general mass and energy balances
• scoping cost estimate

therefore, the conceptual design of an

adsorption system is best undertaken as an
iterative process in which the experimental
program and the design are conducted
simultaneously
 Some limitations
• know thy application. The ultimate application
of the adsorption system determines the
performance objectives and defines the
constraints on the system
• performance data are necessary to define
key design parameters
• invariably, the required data have not been
previously published and must be generated
in laboratory experiments
• the data must always be extrapolated to
develop a conceptual design, but one must
know the limitations of the data
 Experimental data for
conceptual design
the data can be grouped into
a few specific categories:
• adsorption isotherm
• loading curves
• regeneration curves

Regeneration curves are similar to loading

curves and fulfil the same function for defining
the conceptual design of the regeneration cycle
 Adsorption isotherms

• isotherms portray the concentration of solute

on the adsorbent as a function of the solute
concentration in the feed
• isotherms can be run to equilibrium in which
case they are useful for the selection of an
adsorbent based on capacity
• alternatively, they can be run as a function of
time, in which case they can be used to select
an adsorbent on the basis of adsorption rate
 Loading curves
• loading curves display the composition of the
effluent from an adsorbent column as a
function of throughput and are therefore the
single best experimental model of column
performance
• many dependent design variables come
directly from loading curves:
 adsorbent capacity
 leakage
 throughput
Conceptual design option
and criteria
main design categories are:
• adsorbent selection
• adsorption configuration
• sizing
• operating
• regenerant
• regeneration cycle
• regenerant fate
• pretreatment
 Adsorbent selection design
option and criteria
option
• granular, powdered, fibre
• activated carbon, polymeric and other
adsorbents
criteria
• highest adsorbent capacity commensurate with
desired leakage at minimum residence time
• economic regeneration process available
• adsorbent lifetime
 Adsorption configuration
design option and criteria
option
• batch or continuous process
• fixed or moving bed
• countercurrent loading/regeneration
criteria
• highest adsorbent capacity commensurate with an
acceptably rapid rate of loading
• highest solute recovery commensurate with lowest
regenerant usage at acceptable capital cost
• highest adsorbent capacity and lowest leakage at
acceptable high residence time
 Sizing design option and
criteria
option
 quantity of adsorbent
 single column, multiple column
 vessel dimensions
criteria
 minimum residence time to achieve desired
leakage
 minimum number of adsorption vessels
 highest linear velocity with acceptable hydraulic
pressure drop
Operating design option

• flow rate
• cycle length time
• loading level
• breakthrough/leakage
 Operating design criteria
• flow rate defined by residence time and
quantity of adsorbent
• longest cycle length commensurate with
minimum residence time and acceptable
leakage
• highest loading level commensurate with
minimum residence time and acceptable
leakage
• breakthrough/leakage defined by application
requirements
 Regenerant design option
and criteria
option
• pressure swing
• steam
• thermal
• chemical solvent
• bilogical
criteria
• most efficient desorption of solute as a
function of regenerant usage
• solute selection commensurate with desired
fate of solute (recovery, incineration)
 Regeneration cycle design
options
• flow rate
• cycle length (time)
• regenerant throughput
• regenerant conservation
• degree of solute desorption
• backwashing
 Regeneration cycle design
criteria
• maximum flow rate commensurate with maximum
desorption efficiency and minimum regenerant
utilization
• maximum cycle length commensurate with loading
cycle length
• minimum regenerant usage with maximum solute
removal
• minimum regenerant loss in displacement mixing
• adsorbent lifetime
• maintenance of acceptable pressure drop on
loading cycle
 Regenerant fate design
option and criteria
option
• spent regenerant disposal
• regenerant recovery
• solute recovery
• solute recycle
criteria
• minimum disposal cost
• maximum recovery of regenerant
• maximum value from recovery of recycle of
solute
Pretreatment design criteria

• suspended solids sufficiently low to prevent

pressure drop increase on loading cycle
• no temperature adjustment unless
adsorption/desorption adversely affected
• bacterial growth must be absent
• pH adjustment for maximum adsorption
efficiency
• equalize extensive swing of flow and
concentration