Computational Study on Optimization of a Single Fixed-Bed Adsorber for Separation of a Multi-Component Mixture

In general, adsorptive separation includes an adsorption and a desorption process in which the separation is affected by the operating conditions of each stage. In this study, the optimum operational conditions for the recovery using a fixed-bed adsorber are investigated numerically. Adsorption/desorption curves for a ternary component mixture are simulated under various operation conditions. The amount and percentage of each component recovered from the mixture are evaluated from the curves. These values are then used in the theoretical determination of the optimal operating conditions. The elution behavior of each component is controlled by adjusting the desorption starting time, whereby efficient recovery of a target component can be achieved by controlling the elution behavior using this technique. The results suggest that sufficient recovery of each component can be performed by use of a single fixed-bed adsorber. The recovery of each component is clearly related to the formation of adsorption zones, and the minimum bed length required for the establishment of constant pattern adsorption zones is an adequate bed length for efficient recovery.