Modelling of a pressure swing adsorption process for oxygen enrichment with carbon molecular sieve

Adsorptive separation of oxygen from nitrogen and argon is carried out during the desorption steps of a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process which uses carbon molecular sieves developed by Bergbau-Forschung GmbH. The adsorption isotherms of the three main components of air are very similar. On account of the pore size distribution of CMSN2, the diffusion coefficient of oxygen is more than eight times those of nitrogen and argon so that air separation occurs by adsorption kinetics. Experimental results for the individual steps and cyclic operation of the PSA process are presented and compared with the predictions of an isothermal plug-flow model. Adsorption rate is represented by a linear driving force equation. If the diffusion coefficients are adapted separately to every step, a good agreement is observed between the model calculations and experimental results.