Development of predictive model for the fixed-bed column reactor

Abstract

The present study aims at development of a mathematical model for the fixed-bed column adsorption that relates the reactor parameters with the breakthrough curve. Effects of operating parameters like bed height, flow rate, initial adsorbate concentration on the adsorption were investigated by using various breakthrough curves. The arbitrary constants of the developed model were found to be dependent on the operating parameters of the breakthrough kinetics. The proposed model showed incredible results (Breakthrough Curve R2 > 0.98) for the referenced data. The flexibility of this model can be seen from the fact that the coefficients of parameters in the Arbitrary Constants Relation for the adsorbate–adsorbent pair are required to be determined only once and can be used repeatedly considering no change in any external factors affecting the working of the adsorbent. As the general adsorption curve follows a typical sigmoid curve, once the Arbitrary Constants Relations are known, the reactor can be optimized by selecting the accurate values of the reactor parameter leading to a slower Ct/Co growth with respect to time. The information about the saturation limit of adsorbent can be used to predict attainment of the saturation limit. The proposed model will reduce the significant number of complicated experiments required to optimize the reactor. The model can also determine the time after which effluent concentration becomes 63.21% of the influent adsorbate concentration without any experimentation by using the Arbitrary Constants Relation, which is of great industrial importance.