Predicting the performance of fixed-bed granular activated carbon adsorbers

Abstract

Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) adsorption is an effective treatment technology for the removal of Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOCs) from drinking water supplies. This treatment process can be expensive if not properly designed. Application of mathematical models is an attractive method to evaluate the impact of process variables on process design and performance. In this study, a mathematical modeling methodology incorporating the pore and surface diffusion model (PSDM) is proposed for known mixtures in fixed-bed adsorbers. Thermodynamic correlations for estimation of equilibrium parameters and empirical correlations for estimation of mass transfer parameters are presented. The PSDM was successfully compared to a 6-component mixture for empty bed contact times (EBCTs) of 2.4, 4.9, and 9.56 minutes.