An Adsorption Kinetic Model for Sulfur Dioxide Adsorption by ZL50 Activated Carbon

Abstract A semi-empirical adsorption kinetic model was proposed with the time compensation method to describe the chemisorption of SO 2 in flue gas by carbon adsorbents for flue gas purification. The change in adsorption capacity and adsorption rate with time at different water vapor concentrations and different SO 2 concentrations was studied. The model was in good agreement with experimental data. The surface reaction was probably the rate controlling step in the early stage for SO 2 adsorption by ZL50 activated carbon. The parameters m and n in the n th order adsorption kinetic model were related to the magnitude of the time compensation and adsorption driving force, respectively. The change of parameter n with water vapor concentrations and sulfur dioxide concentrations was studied and some physical implications were given. The sum of square errors was less than 1.0 and the average absolute percentage deviations ranged from 0.5 to 3.2. The kinetic model was compared with other models in the literature.