23.9 The data for the adsorption of ammonia on barium fluoride are reported
below. Confirm that they fit a BET isotherm and find values of cand Viyoy-
(a) 0= 0°C, p* = 429.6 kPa:
p/kPa 14.0 37.6 65.6 79.2
Vim 1d BS 149 16.0
(b) O= 18.6°C, p* = 819.7 kPa:
pkPa 5.30 84 1A 29.2
Viem? 9.2 98 10.3 113
82.7 100.7 106.4
15.5 173 16.5
621 74.0 80.1 102.0
129° 13.1 134 14d
23.25¢ The removal or recovery of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from
exhaust gas streams is an important process
environmental engineering.
Activated carbon has long been used as an adsorbent in this process, but the
presence of moisture in the stream reduces its effectiveness. M.-S. Chou and
J.-H. Chiou (J. Envir. Engrg. ASCE, 123, 437 (1997)) have studied the effect of
moisture content on the adsorption capacities of granular activated carbon
(GAC) for normal hexane and cyclohexane in air streams. From their data fordry streams containing cyclohexane, shown in the table below, they conclude
that GAC obeysa Langmiuir-type model in which qyocgsa0= 4bC voc /(1+ beyoo)s
Where q = :1yo¢/ntgac, RH denotes relative humidity, a the maximum
adsorption capacity, b is an affinity parameter, and p is the abundance in parts
per million (ppm). The following table gives values of qyg¢ pico for cyclohexane:
cippm 336°C 415°C 57APC 764°C 99°C
200 0.080 0.069 0.052 0.042 0.027
500 0.093 0.083 0.072 0.056 0.042
1000 0.101 0.088 0.076 0.063 0.045
2000 0.105, 0.092 0.083 0.068 0.052
3000 0.112 0.102 0.087 0.072 0.058
(a) By linear regression of 1/qyoo,py-0 against 1/cyoc, test the goodness of fit
and determine values of a and b. (b) The parameters a and b can be related to
jas, the enthalpy of adsorption, and A, H, the difference in activation energy
for adsorption and desorption of the VOC molecules, through Arrhenius-type
equations of the form a=k, exp(-A,4,H/RT) and b= ky exp(-A,, H/RT). Test
the goodness of fit of the data to these equations and obtain values for k,, kis
Aggy H, and A, H. (c) What interpretation might you give to k, and ky?23.26¢ M.-S. Chou and J.-H. Chiou (J. Envir. Engrg., ASCE, 123, 437 (1997))
have studied the effect of moisture content on the adsorption capacities of
granular activated carbon (GAC, Norit PK 1-3) for the volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) normal hexane and cyclohexane in air streams. The
following table shows the adsorption capacities (4 yater= 7 yater!MGqc) OF GAC
for pure water from moist air streams as a function of relative humidity (RH)
in the absence of VOCsat 41.5°C.
RH 0.00 0.26 = 0.49 0570.80 1.00
Gwar 9.00» 02.026- 0,072 0.091 0.161 0.229
The authors conclude that the data at this and other temperatures obey a
Freundlich-type isotherm, qyare, = K(RH)"”. (a) Test this hypothesis for their
data at 41.5°C and determine the constants k and n. (b) Why might VOCs
obey the Langmuir model, but water the Freundlich model? (c) When both
water vapour and cyclohexane were present in the stream the values given in
the table below were determined for the ratio ryoc = dyoc/vocuen at AL-S°C.
RH 0.00 0.10 0.25 0.400.530.7681
1.00 098 091 0.84 0.79 067 061
voc
The authors propose that these data fit the equation ryo¢= 1 dyatere TESt
their proposal and determine values for k and n and compare to those
obtained in part (b) for pure water. Suggest reasons for any differences.