Drying of an activated carbon column after steam regeneration

Experiments of the adsorption cycles, which include adsorption: steam desor ption, and drying/cooling, are conducted using a well instrumented pilot-sc ale apparatus with toluene as the sorptive. Special attention can be paid t o the temperature profiles and the changes in water and toluene loading dur ing drying since there is the possibility to take samples from inside the c olumn. Water isotherms were gravimetrically determined and correlated with the association theory of Talu and Meunier. The mathematical description of the air drying of the packed bed with activated carbon is based on an equa tion system with coupled heat and mass transfer between the bed and the flu id. The first calculations show good agreement with experimental results.