NUMERICAL STUDY OF ARGON EFFECT ON NITROGEN SEPARATION FROM AIR BY PRESSURE SWING ADSORPTION

A mathematical model was used to design four modes of two-bed pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process to investigate argon presence in the feed mixture. The effect of operating parameters such as cycle time, pressure equalization, adsorption pressure, and purging flow rate was investigated. The model was validated with experimental data of nitrogen separation from the air by a single bed adsorber on carbon molecular sieve (CMS). A good agreement with experimental data is obtained. In the PSA process, higher purity of nitrogen (99.7%) was detected by mode 4 when the feed mixture was free of argon (O2: 21%, N2:79%). While the nitrogen purity was only 98.0% in the state of argon presence in the feed mixture (O2: 21%, N2: 78%, Ar: 1%). The results showed that the cycle time had insignificant effect whereas the pressure equalization and purging at low vacuum pressure had a significant effect on the process performance. ABSTRAK: Model matematik digunakan bagi membina empat mod terdiri daripada tekanan dua-turus proses penyerapan buai (PSA) bagi menyiasat kehadiran argon dalam campuran pakan. Kesan parameter beroperasi seperti masa kitaran, penyamaan tekanan, tekanan penyerapan, dan kadar aliran penyingkiran disiasat. Model matematik tersebut disiasat melalui data eksperimen pemisahan nitrogen dari udara melalui penyerapan turus tunggal pada penapis molekular karbon (CMS). Data eksperimen yang bagus diperoleh. Dalam proses PSA, mod keempat menghasilkan ketulenan nitrogen (99.7%) lebih tinggi apabila campuran pakan bebas argon (O2: 21%, N2:79%). Sementara itu, ketulenan nitrogen hanya 98.0% apabila terdapat kehadiran argon dalam campuran pakan (O2: 21%, N2: 78%, Ar: 1%). Kajian menunjukkan masa kitaran memberi kesan tidak signifikan sementara penyamaan tekanan  dan penyingkiran pada tekanan vakum rendah mempunyai kesan signifikan terhadap prestasi proses.