Novel simulated moving-bed adsorber for the fractionation of gas mixtures

The separation of propylene-propane mixture is an energy intensive operation commercially practiced using cryogenic distillation. The separation by pressure swing adsorption has been studied as an alternative. A fixed-bed pressure swing adsorption yields the heavy component as a pure product. The product recovery and the productivity are not high. In a moving-bed process, because of the counter-current solid-gas contact, the separation achieved is similar to that of the fractionation by distillation. Although the moving-bed operation offers the upper limit for the performance of a cyclic adsorptive process, due to mechanical complexities in the handling of solids the 'simulated' moving-bed is preferred. By moving the inlet and outlet ports of streams located along the length of the bed, a moving-bed process can be realized in a fixed bed. We describe here a 'moving-port' system which permits injection or withdrawal of the fluid along the axial direction in a fixed bed. A fixed bed embedded with the moving-port systems emulates a simulated moving-bed adsorber. The proposed adsorber can fractionate a binary gas mixture into two product streams with high purities. It is similar to the Sorbex process of UOP but does not have the eluent as an additional separating agent. A parametric study indicates that high purity products and a higher productivity by an order of magnitude can be achieved with simulated moving-beds compared to the fixed beds.     

Effect of Enzyme Modification of Corn Grits on their Properties as an Adsorbent in a Skarstrom Pressure Swing Cycle Dryer

Corn grits have been tested as a desiccant in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system to produce dry air. Two sizes of unmodified corn grits were tested in the PSA system: 2.16 and 0.978 mm in diameter, which dried moist air to dew points of –42°C and –69°C, respectively. A modification technology has been developed for the corn grits that gives an increase in the operational adsorptive capacity in a pressure swing adsorption system, so that they remove as much moisture from air as molecular sieves at the same conditions. After modification, 2.16 mm corn grits dry moist air to a –56°C dew point and the 0.978 mm corn grits dry air to a –80°C dew point. The modification process creates surface modifications on the corn grits apparently making more adsorption sites easily available. The modification procedure increases the specific surface area of the grits and possibly decreases the crystallinity, which would make more hydroxyl groups available for adsorption of water. Possible applications of using corn grits in the pressure swing adsorption system include industrial gas dryers, sorptive cooling air conditioners, and recycling equipment for industrial solvents.     

Mathematical Modeling of Multicomponent Nonisothermal Adsorption in Sorbent Particles Under Pressure Swing Conditions

A detailed model for nonisothermal sorption of multicomponent mixtures in a single sorbent particle (monodisperse or bidisperse with negligible intracrystalline mass transport limitations) under pressure swing conditions is developed in this study. The dusty-gas model is used to describe the coupling of the molar fluxes, the temperature, the partial pressures and the partial pressure gradients of the components in the pore space of the particle. The variations of the temperature are described by an energy equation in which both convective and conductive modes of heat transport are accounted for. No limitations are imposed on the number of the components in the mixture and on the type of the adsorption isotherm. The model is applied in the investigation of the industrially important air-zeolite 5A system. Two cases with respect to the surrounding gas phase are examined: infinite environment, which is representative for single particle experiments, and finite environment, which is representative for the situation in packed bed adsorbers. It is found that in an infinite environment the external and internal temperature gradients are equally important while in a finite environment the external heat transport limitations are negligible. It is concluded that in modeling the nonisothermal operation of adsorption processes occurring in packed beds it is not necessary to allow for the temperature differences between the gas phase and the surface of the adsorbing particles. Furthermore, if the temperature gradients within the particles can be neglected, only a single temperature equation is needed to describe the energy transport in the bed.     

高比表面积窄孔分布氧化铝的制备研究 Ⅰ.沉淀条件的影响

 以硫酸铝液为原料，以氨水、氢氧化钠和铝酸钠为碱沉淀剂，采用pH摆动法制备了高比表面积、大孔径、窄孔分布、大孔体积氧化铝，考察了沉淀剂、沉淀温度及沉淀时酸侧pH值对氧化铝物性的影响，并对pH摆动法与等pH沉淀法的结果进行了比较．结果表明，通过改变制备参数可以获得高比表面积、大孔体积的氧化铝，当沉淀温度为70℃，pH摆动3或4次时，氧化铝的孔体积可高达1．0ml／g，比表面积仍大于300m2／g．用pH摆动法制得的样品比用等pH沉淀法制得的样品容易酸溶，对挤压成型有利．不同样品在酸溶液中的分散性表明，用氨水沉淀剂可获得相对较小的沉淀粒子．改变沉淀时酸侧的pH值，可导致沉淀粒子的结构发生变化．     

Production of oxygen enriched air by rapid pressure swing adsorption

A novel rapid pressure swing adsorption (RPSA) process is described for production of 25–50% oxygen enriched air. The embodiment consists of one or more pairs of adsorbent layers contained in a single adsorption vessel. The layers undergo simultaneous pressurization-adsorption and simultaneous depressurization-purge steps. A total cycle time of 6–20 seconds is used. The process yields a very large specific oxygen production rate and a reasonable oxygen recovery for production of 20–50 mole% oxygen enriched gas.It is demonstrated by a simple mathematical model of isothermal single adsorbate pressure swing ad(de)sorption concept on a single adsorbent particle that the specific production rate of a PSA process cannot be indefinitely increased by reducing the cycle time of operation when adsorbate mass transfer resistances are finite.     

非低温法的稀有气体纯化技术概述

稀有气体广泛应用于工业生产中,如离子刻蚀、检漏等。但是它们在地球上的含量比较少,属于稀有资源,因此需要对它们进行纯化以循环再利用。首先介绍了不同气体纯化的原理,然后以实际生产中的不同稀有气体使用范围为例,说明纯化装置的设计方法和需要考虑的问题。为以后气体纯化装置的设计提供借鉴。     

秋千参数自激振动的数学模型与数值模拟

将秋千视为变长度单摆,基于归一化高斯函数构造了摆球相对摆杆的速度表达式.在此基础上建立了秋千的非线性动力学微分方程,并据此数学模型对秋千运动进行了数值模拟,得到了秋千的运动规律和功能转化的机制.     

Simulation of a Combined Isomerization Reactor & Pressure Swing Adsorption Unit

The Total Isomerization Process developed by Union Carbide in 1970 (Gary, 1987) for the conversion of normal paraffin's to their isomers consists of a reactor followed by a PSA unit each operating at similar pressures and temperatures. The combination of these two operations in one unit in a Pressure Swing Adsorption Reactor (PSAR) process may provide an increased throughput and a significant cost saving in ancillary equipment.The simulation of a mathematical model linking the catalyst packed-bed and the adsorbent packed-bed is reported. The catalyst is a Pd/Y-zeolite and the adsorbent is 5A zeolite. The simulated feed consists of 17% each of n- and isopentane with the remainder being hydrogen. The mathematical model assumes dispersed plug-flow in both sections, constant velocity in the reactor section but varying in the adsorber, with mass transfer in the adsorber section due to external fluid film resistance and macropore diffusion in series. The fraction of the total column length occupied by the catalyst (denoted by ) is accounted for in the model by solving numerically using orthogonal collocation on finite elements. Parameters varied are the ratio of catalyst/column length (), temperature range (506–533 K), high pressure (15–20 bars), with the low pressure held constant at 2 bars. The catalyst/column ratio has a strong effect at low temperatures. The optimum catalyst/column length ratio appears to be controlled by the low pressure step and occurs at = 0.7 for the assumptions used in this work.     

旋转倒立双摆摆起控制量的动态设计变量优化

倒立摆的摆起过程是复杂的非线性力学与控制的综合问题,当力学模型和参数确定时,寻求有效方法计算控制律函数是实现摆起的关键。本文以倒立双摆模型为研究对象,将动态设计变量优化方法引入对摆起开环控制律的分析,编制计算机程序进行数值仿真,确定了控制律函数与状态量随时间变化的状态,为复杂强非线性系统的控制提出了一种有效方法。     

全密度聚乙烯工业生产工艺技术的发展现状

全密度聚乙烯的生产工艺包括溶液法、淤浆法和气相法.通过改变进料组成和工艺参数,可以灵活地生产0.910～0.970g/cm3的全密度聚乙烯,成为目前聚乙烯生产工艺技术的一个发展趋势.其代表工艺主要有Sclairtech工艺、Dowlex工艺、Compact工艺、CX工艺、双环管反应器工艺、Unipol工艺、Innove...