Carbon dioxide adsorption on zeolites and activated carbon by pressure swing adsorption in a fixed bed

Abstract Combustion of fossil fuels is one of the major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) CO2, it is therefore necessary to develop technologies that will allow us to utilize the fossil fuels while reducing the emissions of GHG. Removal of CO2 from flue gasses has become an effective way to mitigate the GHG and adsorption is considered to be one of the methods. Adsorption of CO2 on zeolite 13X, zeolite 4A and activated carbon (AC) have been investigated at a temperature ranging from 25 to 60 C and pressure up to 1 bar. The experimental data were fitted with isotherm models like Langmuir and Freunlich isotherm model. The Langmuir model fit well with the two zeolites and Freunlich model fit well with AC. The thermodynamics parameters were calculated and found to be exothermic in natures for all three adsorbents. Moreover, regeneration studies have been conducted in order to verify the possibility of activated carbon reutilization, to determine its CO2 adsorption capacity within consecutive cycles of adsorption–desorption. Temperature swing adsorption was employed as the regeneration method through heating up to a temperature of approximately 100 C. There is no full reversibility for zeolites while AC can achieve complete regenerations.