Undergraduate Course: Adsorption 5 (CHEE11016)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering | 
College | College of Science and Engineering | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 10 | 
ECTS Credits | 5 | 
 
 
| Summary | The course will cover the basic principles of adsorption and adsorption separation processes including both equilibrium and dynamic modeling and a brief overview of representative industrial processes.  The main topics will be: 
Forces and energetics of adsorption; 
Adsorption equilibrium (including both single and multicomponent systems); 
Adsorbent materials (with emphasis on zeolites and activated carbon); 
Sorption kinetics and measurement of transport properties; 
Adsorption Column Dynamics (including linear, non-linear and multicomponent/non-isothermal systems); 
Adsorption Separation processes (choice of regeneration methods, pressure swing, thermal swing and displacement processes. 
 
The relationship between the properties of the adsorbent and the process applications will be emphasized. 
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| Course description | 
    
    This course comprises 20 hours of lectures assessed by written examination and coursework. 
 
Lectures 
 
The course is delivered in two hour lectures. 
 
Week 1  
Introduction 
	Importance of adsorption in a separation process 
	Historical perspective 
	Advantages and limitations 
Forces and Energetics of Adsorption  
	Physical adsorption vs. chemisorption 
	van der Waals forces 
	Electrostatic forces 
	Polar/Non-Polar adsorbents 
	Heats of adsorption  
 
Week 2  
Adsorbent Materials 
	Selectivity and capacity 
	Amorphous/Crystalline 
      Carbons; Aluminas; Silica Gels; Zeolites; MOFs 
Adsorption Equilibrium 
	Representation of equilibrium data 
      Brunauer classification  
      Monte Carlo simulation of adsorption equilibrium 
      Henry's Law 
      Langmuir, dual site Langmuir and Freundlich 
      Isotherms 
      Isosteric heat of adsorption  
      Gibbs isotherm 
      Spreading pressure  
 
Week 3 
Multicomponent Adsorption Equilibrium 
      Extended Langmuir isotherms 
      Thermodynamic consistency of multicomponent 
      Isotherms 
      Experimental measurements 
      Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) 
      Limits on applicability of IAST	 
 
Week 4 
Characterization of Adsorbents 
	BET isotherm and area measurement 
	Capillary Condensation and the Kelvin equation 
	Hysteresis 
	Measurement of pore size distributions 
      Gravimetric, volumetric and chromatographic 
      measurement of adsorption isotherms. 
 
Week 5  
Diffusion in Porous Solids 
      Mass transport mechanisms 
      Range of diffusivities 
	Definitions and relationship between the various 
      micropore diffusivities 
	Chemical potential as driving force	 
      Diffusion in macro/mesopores.  
Measurement of Diffusion in Porous Solids 
Classification of experimental methods 
	Microscopic (PFG NMR, QENS, Neutron Spin-Echo) 
	Mesoscopic (Single crystal membrane, FTSR and 
      interference microscopy) 
	FR, Chromatography, TAP, effectiveness factor 
Examples from literature of incorrect interpretation of kinetic experiments. 
 
Week 6 
Adsorption Kinetics  
Analytical solution to the diffusion equation with surface resistance. 
      Separation of variables. 
      Laplace transforms. 
      Properties of Laplace transforms. 
      Asymptotic limits and moments of solutions. 
      Inversion of solution using the method or residues. 
      Numerical solution using finite differences. 
The Linear Driving Force model  
      Equivalence to the diffusion equation 
      Limitations at fast cycle times 
 
Week 7   
Adsorption Column Dynamics  
      Mass balance equation 
      Danckwerts boundary conditions 
    	Equilibrium theory - isothermal single transition 
	Qualitative treatment from wave theory perspective  
      Moments and HETP 
      Constant and proportional pattern behaviour 
 
Week 8   
Adsorption Column Dynamics  
    	Equilibrium theory - isothermal multicomponent 
      Coherence       
      Solution for extended Langmuir isotherm 
      Equilibrium theory - non-isothermal systems 
      Watershed point and temperature swing adsorption 
 
Week 9  
Adsorption Separation Processes 
	Regeneration methods - T Swing, P Swing and 
      Displacement 
	Cyclic batch vs continuous counter-current operation 
	Equilibrium vs Kinetic selectivity 
      Trace impurity removal 
	Bulk separations   
Pressure Swing Adsorption Processes  
	Cycles and energy efficiency 
	PSA oxygen process 
	PSA nitrogen process (carbon molecular sieve) 
Countercurrent and Simulated Countercurrent Processes 
	Adsorbent circulation - Hypersorption, Pursiv 
	UOP Simulated Moving Bed Sorbex Process 
      McCabe-Thiele design 
      Triangle theory of SMBs 
 
Completion of Course 
Review and open discussion. 
 
Self-Study 
Each lecture has corresponding self-study materials.
    
    
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Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
		| High Demand Course? | 
		Yes | 
     
 
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1) 
  
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Quota:  None | 
 
| Course Start | 
Semester 2 | 
 
Timetable  | 
	
Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
100
(
 Lecture Hours 20,
 Formative Assessment Hours 1,
 Summative Assessment Hours 10,
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
67 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) | 
Two hour written examination - 80% 
Coursework assignment - 20% | 
 
| Feedback | 
Not entered | 
 
| Exam Information | 
 
    | Exam Diet | 
    Paper Name | 
    Hours & Minutes | 
    
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) |  | 2:00 |  |  | Resit Exam Diet (August) |  | 2:00 |  |  
 
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - Gain an understanding of the fundamental equilibrium and transport properties in adsorption.
 - Gain a capability to model transient adsorption processes.
 - Gain an understanding of the basic design of adsorption systems.
 
     
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Reading List 
1. Principles of Adsorption and Adsorption Processes, 1984. Ruthven D.M. - Wiley. 
 
2. Pressure Swing Adsorption, 1994. Ruthven D.M., Farooq S., Knaebel K.S. - Wiley. 
 
3. Diffusion in Zeolites and other Microporous Solids, 1992. Kärger J., Ruthven D.M. - Wiley. 
 
4. Adsorbents Fundamentals and Applications, 2003. Yang R.T., Wiley. 
 
5. Adsorption by Powders & Porous Solids, 1999. Rouquerol F., Rouquerol J., Sing K. - Academic Press. 
 
6. Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook. 7th Ed., 1997. Perry R.H. and Green D.W., McGraw-Hill. 
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
Not entered | 
 
| Keywords | Adsorption,separation,emissions,molecular simulation | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Prof Stefano Brandani 
Tel:  
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Mrs Shona Barnet 
Tel: (0131 6)51 7715 
Email:  | 
   
 
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