Predictions of Xylene Adsorption on Agglomerated Activated Carbon Pellets in a Fixed Bed Column

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important category of air pollutants and adsorption has been widely recognized as an effective means of controlling emissions to the atmosphere. The current study used theoretical model to analyze the rate of xylene adsorption from inert gaseous stream on the granular activated carbon in a fixed bed column under varying operating conditions. The model considers the inner diffusion of VOC into the activated carbon particles. Experimental results of another author study were used to validate the present model and the methodology proposed to determine the xylene concentrations at the outlet of the column and corresponding inner particles.