MICROWAVE REGENERATION OF ADSORBENTS AT LOW-PRESSURE - EXPERIMENTAL KINETICS STUDIES

Experimental studies were performed to demonstrate the feasibility of regenerating adsorbents by microwave irradiation to effect recovery of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Low pressure (sub-ambient) microwa ve desorption tests were conducted in a 2450 MHz multimode cavity for water, methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, and n-propyl acetate on molecular sieves 5A and 13X, UOP MHSZ, and Dowex Optipore adsorbents. The resul ts show that the dielectrically enhanced mass transfer characteristics result in a system which follows a quasi-equilibrium process consiste nt with the manufacturer sorption equilibrium data; accordingly, desor ption increases with temperature and decreasing system pressure and is not rate-limited by mass transfer resistances.