SHROFF S. R.

ROTARY INSTITUTE OF
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
TOPIC: Equipment used for adsorption
NAME :- BHANVADIA DEEP
SUB. :- MTO-II
EN NO. :- 140990105004
ADSORPTION EQUIPMENT :

 Adsorption equipment mostly operate batch wise. A continuous

contact equipment must have the adsorption in a fluidized state
so that the solid phase is imparted mobility. A simple fluidized bed
involves a high degree of back mixing and consequent loss of
driving force.
 A countercurrent multiple tray type design is possible but is not
suitable for many streams, particularly because the particles may
be disintegrated by attrition besides other operational problem.
PACKED ADSORPTION EQUIPMENT :
 A packed adsorption equipment consists of a cylindrical shell provided with (i) a
support grid for holding the solid adsorbent while allowing the gas or the liquid to
flow through it (ii)inlet and outlet nozzles for the fluid (iii) a suitable arrangement for
distribution of the fluid to ensure reasonably uniform flow through the bed.
 The feed gas must be feed from particulates by using a coalescing filter upstream.
 A filter on the downstream side is also necessary to retain any particles that may be
come from the bed.
 Carbon steel is a common material of construction of adsorption vessel, although
another suitable material may have to be used if the environment is corrosive.
 The cost of vessel per unit volume increases rapidly with diameter particularly if it
operate under pressure. Another factor to be consider in selecting the diameter is
pressure drop across the bed.
 The vessel needs insulation to prevent heat loss if thermal regeneration of the
spent adsorbed is done.
 Most such vessel installed vertically, although the pressure drop may be high for
tall vessel. Flow distribution is more uniform in vertical vessel. The feed flows
downwards to avoid fluidization of the bed if there is a sudden surge in the flow
rate.
 Further if the feed contains a mixture of high and low boiling substance, the
vessel may have two section with a separating grid. In such case, the feed enters
at the bottom, the higher boiling substance are adsorbed in lower section and
the lower boiling compound are adsorbed in upper section.
 Two types of support are common. A grid with one or more layers screen of
decreasing pore size may be support the adsorbent bed. Alternatively, a few
layers of ceramic balls of graded sized may be hold the bed.
 The opening at the top of the support layer must be smaller than the adsorbent
particle size, and flow distribution in the bed must be reasonably uniform.
 This may be achieved by baffles plates at the inlet and exit nozzles or by making
slots on the nozzles so that the fluid is released radially and the flows axially.
 Butterfly valve are mostly used in the pipelines if the feed is gas. The gasket
should be compatible with the solute in the gas, particularly if a solvent vapour is
to be recovered in the bed.
 Leakage of the valves is a common problem. Enough care should be taken to
avoid breakage of the particles during loading and unloading.
 Breakage of particles creates fines and causes a lot of problems.
Vacuum loading and unloading are sometimes used. Downflow of
the fluid during adsorption and upflow for regeneration are
common.
CONTINEOUS MOVING BED
ADSORPTION
 A novel continuous moving bed adsorber was developed by kureha chemical
co. of Japan in the 1970s.
 It has a few trays in upper section contacting the fluidized adsorbent particles
that continuously move down through the downcomers.
 Adsorption occurs in the upper section. As the solid moves down to the tower
desorption section, it enters an array of steam heated desorption tubes.
 The product recovery by desorption is condensed. A carrier gas recycle the
regenerated adsorbent to the top of the adsorber throughout a central pipe.
 The adsorbent particles must be hard and resistant to abrasion. The devise is in
use in many plants for the removal and recovery of small amount of solvent
vapor from vent gases. Another continuous adsorption device with a monolithic
adsorbent block mounted on a rotating wheel is described by keller.