(371f) Performance Evaluation and Comparison of Conventional and Emerging Adsorbents in Their Applications to a CO2 Capture Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VPSA) Process

It was aimed to perform a comprehensive study to evaluate a variety of conventional and emerging porous materials having in mind their applications to a simple Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VPSA) process for CO₂ capture from a simulated flue gas consisting of 15% CO₂ and 85% N₂.

The CO₂ capture VSA runs with an adsorption cycle of five steps comprising high-pressure feed, heavy reflux, counter-current depressurization (blowdown), low-pressure purge and light product pressurization steps.

Each adsorbent candidate was assessed with respect to CO₂ product recovery that is achievable by the simple CO₂ VPSA process where the adsorption columns are packed with the adsorbent candidate. The performance of each VSA cycle was analysed by equilibrium theory that requires adsorption isotherms, bed void fraction and adsorbent density only [1].

1. Ruthven et al., Pressure Swing Adsorption, VCH, 1993.