Steam Adsorption Equilibrium Data at 110 °C on Activated Carbon, Lewatit VP OC 1065, and CALF-20 Using a Microscale Dynamic Column Breakthrough Apparatus

Abstract

Steam adsorption equilibrium data is important for many carbon capture applications. However, there is a dearth of concentrated unary equilibrium data for H 2 O at temperatures greater than 100 °C. In this study, unary steam adsorption equilibrium data was measured at 110 °C up to approximately 1.0 bar partial pressure with a steam microscale dynamic column breakthrough (μDCB) apparatus using milligram quantities of adsorbent. These partial pressures are equivalent to those used in industrial carbon capture processes. The construction of the apparatus is detailed, including calibrations and validations, to ensure accurate equilibrium measurement. Three adsorbents were considered in this study: an activated carbon (Calgon BPL), an amine-functionalized polymer (Lewatit VP OC 1065), and a metal−organic framework (CALF-20). Steam adsorbs strongly on all three materials at 110 °C. Activated carbon and Lewatit displayed type-3 isotherm shapes, and CALF-20 displayed a type-5 isotherm shape. The 110 °C data was compared against H 2 O equilibrium data collected at 25 °C as a function of relative pressure. An in-house dynamic column breakthrough simulator could predict the μDCB composition breakthrough curves well for all three materials. The data obtained has important process implications and highlights the need to measure steam adsorption data for any proposed carbon capture material.

Steam Isotherms, CO2/H2O Mixed-Gas Isotherms, and Single-Component CO2 and H2O Diffusion Rates in CALF-20

“…Currently, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in which metal nodes and organic linkers can be assembled to provide varying pore sizes, crystal structures, and surface functionalities, are promising candidate materials for CO 2 removal from industrial flue gas streams. , Of the MOFs that have been reported, Calgary Framework 20 (CALF-20) is particularly appealing, as this MOF has a high capacity and selectivity for CO 2 over both N 2 and H 2 O. ,− CALF-20 has also shown to satisfy some of the practical elements needed to facilitate industrial deployment of solid adsorbents for CO 2 capture. For example, CALF-20 is synthesized from commercially available components in an industrially scalable reaction, and it is chemically resistant to steam and oxidation, which is appealing for regeneration purposes due to readily available steam and hot air in industrial settings. , …”