EQUILIBRIUM-THEORY FOR BINARY SOLVENT VAPOR RECOVERY BY PRESSURE SWING ADSORPTION - CONCEPTUAL PROCESS DESIGN FOR SEPARATION OF THE LIGHTERCOMPONENT

A simple equilibrium theory has been formulated soley in terms of wave interactions for binary pressure swing adsorption-solvent vapor recov ery (PSA-SVR). An analytic resolution of all the ensuing wave interact ions, including shock wave interactions with compressive simple waves, has been obtained for the case of the separation of the lighter impur ity, i.e. the case of recovering the lighter impurity during the feed step, while obtaining a stream enriched in the heavier impurity during the purge step. Analytic expressions have also been obtained for all the key process performance indices. Two conceptual process designs ha ve been carried out that demonstrate the utility of these simple expre ssions for rapid elucidation of binary PSA-SVR separation process heur istics, performance and feasibility. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.