Combining equilibrium and dynamical models to describe two-component adsorption in a fixed bed.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Adsorption Science

Background:

• Predicting contaminant behavior in fixed-bed adsorption columns is crucial for environmental remediation.
• Existing models often require extensive experimental data and lack clear parameter interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, simplified analytical approach for predicting fixed-bed adsorption with competing contaminants.
• To utilize equilibrium (isotherm) data for robust model parameterization.
• To provide physically interpretable parameters for enhanced predictive performance and experimental design.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel analytical method based on equilibrium isotherm data.
• Incorporated a single parameter fitted to breakthrough data.
• Validated the model against experimental data for competitive adsorption.

Main Results:

• Achieved simple analytical expressions for concentrations and adsorbed amounts.
• Demonstrated high prediction accuracy (R² > 0.95) and low relative error.
• Provided physically interpretable parameters, including shifts in breakthrough time and roll-up effects.

Conclusions:

• The novel isotherm-based approach accurately predicts competitive fixed-bed adsorption.
• The method reduces experimental effort while maintaining strong predictive capabilities.
• Offers advantages over previous methods through interpretable parameters and wider validity.