Internally circulating fluidized bed for continuous adsorption and desorption

An internally circulating fluidized bed has been developed for continuous adsorption and desorption. This system can be used more generally for many other reaction/regeneration operations. It helps to separate and to recover gaseous pollutants and reusable compounds (e.g. CO₂, SO₂, organic solvent vapors, along with other gases). Two fluidized beds are arranged next to each other. The partition wall in the upper and lower part of the fluidized beds has horizontal openings to let solid matter pass through. As the two beds are fluidized at different rates, the bed material starts to circulate between the two beds. The bed material doubles as an adsorbent. In the adsorption zone, polluted gas is used for fluidization; in the desorption zone, heated air or steam is used. The main differences from conventional fixed-bed adsorbers are that plants can be built in a more compact manner, higher flow rates can be achieved, and separate optimization of the two zones (adsorption zone, desorption zone) is possible.