A fully instrumented breakthrough column has been assembled to enable accurate measurement of breakthrough fronts and hence deduce adsorption kinetics. The adsorption column is a 50mm ID PVC column (wall thickness 6mm) with 20mm thick fiberglass insulation to minimize heat loss. The column is packed with adsorbent to a depth of 1.9m. Thermocouples are located axially in the bed every 20cm starting from the void volume at the feed of the bed (bottom). A 1/16” sample line to an oxygen sensor (Servomex Zr733 Series Fast Response Zirconia Oxygen Sensor) is located near the top of the bed but still within the packed section to measure the breakthrough front. Calibration tests indicate that the response time of the analyzer is 0.2s. It is important to locate the sample line within the bed to avoid the sudden change in bed pressure that results when the breakthrough front passes through the top of the bed. A switch valve and annubar flow meter is located at the feed end of the bed to permit rapid switching of gas to the bed and to allow for measurement of inlet velocity. A control valve is located on the exit (top) of the bed to allow for PID control of the pressure during an experiment. A DP cell is also installed in the column to allow measurement of pressure drop and thereby extraction of Ergun parameters.
Click on the graphic for a flow diagram of the breakthrough apparatus
Click on the graphic for a typical breakthrough curve (N2 breaking through a column previously saturated with O2)
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