Analysis of thermal effects in a spherical adsorbent pellet

A new model of nonisothermal adsorption is presented. The model is applicable to systems with nonlinear adsorption isotherm. Both intraparticle and film mass-transfer resistances are accounted in the model with the intraparticle mass-transfer rate being controlled by pore diffusion. An analytical solution of the model equations has been developed and a criterium for the existence of a maximum in the temperature uptake curves has been presented. A simple algorithm for the calculation of the maximum particle temperature has been illustrated. A detailed sensitivity analysis has shown the influence of various parameters on the temperature uptake curves. The model has been applied to the system water vapour–alumina and the predicted temperature uptake curves were compared with experimental results.