Pressure Swing Adsorption and other Cyclic Adsorption Processes and Applications

PACS Course Number 162

9 AM to 5 PM

The course leader is Dr. James A. Ritter. Dr. Ritter is Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, where he has resided for the past 14 years. He received his Ph.D. in 1989 from the University at Buffalo under the guidance of Professor Ralph T. Yang. Dr. Ritter is a renowned expert on the fundamentals and applications of adsorptive phenomena for gas separation and purification and energy storage. He has over 110 peer-reviewed articles published in these areas and has been studying and lecturing on cyclic adsorption process fundamentals and applications for the past 25 years.

Adsorption is classified as a unit operation in chemical engineering that exploits the ability of a solid surface to concentrate species selectively from a fluid phase onto its surface. Adsorption processes are ubiquitous throughout the chemical process industry and used extensively for gas and liquid purification and separation. While taking this 2-day course, areas you will gain proficiency in are industrial adsorbent identification and characterization, adsorption equilibria, adsorption kinetics, adsorption column dynamics, and adsorption process applications. The focus will be on gas phase adsorption and its applications, with an emphasis on the widely popular pressure swing adsorption process.

Course Registration is available. You may also register through an associated conference registration. Send a payment of $2250 to secure your course attendance. Hotel information and a map will be sent to confirm your registration. Please list your special interest(s) during registration. Enrollment is limited to assure your maximum course benefits. On-site PACS courses are available (most PACS courses can be provided at your time and place). Telephone PACS at 1.724.457.6576 if you need further information. PACS also provides laboratory testing and consulting services.

This course is provided each year: Spring in Columbia, SC and in conjunction with the International Activated Carbon Conference (IACC) each October near the airport in Pittsburgh, PA. This course can be provided at your time and place.

Pressure Swing Adsorption and other Cyclic Adsorption Processes and Applications

Course Instructor: Dr. James Ritter under the auspices of PACS

This 2-day course is designed for the practicing chemical, mechanical, nuclear, civil or electrical engineer or industrial chemist interested in learning about the fundamentals and applications of cyclic adsorption process technology. Each registrant will receive detailed course notes (over 200 pages) and a simple pressure swing adsorption process simulator based on the MS Excel spreadsheet format. Each registrant should bring a laptop to class with MS Excel installed. This course emphasizes the practical considerations and keeps the math to a minimum.

Major course content includes
1. industrial adsorbent identification and characterization
2. adsorption equilibria
3. adsorption kinetics
4. adsorption column dynamics
5. adsorption process principles
6. adsorption process applications

While taking this course,
• you will develop an understanding of the basic principles of adsorption science and technology governing separation processes;
• you will gain an appreciation for the level of complexity of accounting for adsorption phenomena in various engineering systems and separation processes;
• you will be become familiar with different commercial separation processes based on adsorption technology, especially pressure swing adsorption;
• you will understand the difference between adsorptive separations designed for purification, bulk separation, and static enclosed space conditioning;
• you will become familiar with commercial adsorbents, such as activated carbons, zeolites, carbon molecular sieves, silica gels, activated aluminas, and ion exchange resins;
• you will learn about adsorptive process modes, such as fixed bed, simulated moving bed, moving bed, rotary monolithic bed, and static modes; and
• you will learn about adsorptive regeneration schemes, such as displacement purge, pressure swing adsorption (PSA), thermal swing adsorption (TSA) and steam regeneration schemes.: * Special interest of participants; * Review and discussion