Visualization of the exothermal VOC adsorption in a fixed-bed activated carbon adsorber

• Published in: Environmental technology Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 285 - 290
• Main Authors: Le Cloirec, P, Pré, P, Delage, F, Giraudet, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.02.2012; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Air Pollutants - isolation & purification; Analytical chemistry; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Charcoal - chemistry; Chemical and Process Engineering; Chemical engineering; Chemical Sciences; combustion; Engineering Sciences; Environmental Engineering; Environmental Sciences; environmental technology; Exact sciences and technology; exothermal reaction; fires; fixed bed; Flame Ionization; gas emissions; ignition; ketones; Photography; Pollution; Temperature; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - isolation & purification; British Isles; Ignition; Laboratory scale; Combustion; Volatile organic compound; Flame ionization detector; Extract; Thermal wave; Pollutant emission; Adsorption; Adsorber; Activated carbon; Fires; exothermal reaction; Air pollution; Fixed bed; Organic compounds; adsorption; activated carbon; fixed bed; ignition
• ISSN: 1479-487X; 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2011.571713

Activated carbon fixed beds are classically used to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in gaseous emissions. In such use, an increase of local temperature due to exothermal adsorption has been reported; some accidental fires in the carbon bed due to the removal of high concentrations of ketones have been published. In this work, removal of VOCs was performed in a laboratory-scale pilot unit. In order to visualize the increase in local temperature, the adsorption front was tracked with a flame ionization detector and the thermal wave was simultaneously visualized with an infrared camera. In extreme conditions, fire in the adsorber and the combustion of activated carbon was achieved during ketone adsorption. Data have been extracted from these experiments, including local temperature, front velocity and carbon bed combustion conditions.