Systematic evaluation of the adsorption of organic vapors onto a miniaturized cartridge device using breakthrough tests in parallel experiment with a full size respirator cartridge

Abstract

Breakthrough experiments are essential for the characterization of the adsorption capacity and micropore volume of activated carbon respiratory cartridges and for the validation and determination of cartridge service life models. In an effort to gain better control over environmental conditions in breakthrough tests and to obtain reliable data, a novel experimental approach using a miniaturized (Mini) cartridge was designed to replicate a small section of a respiratory cartridge. The Mini device and the organic vapor respiratory cartridge were tested in single and parallel experiments where in the former, one filter was tested one at a time and in the latter both devices were exposed simultaneously to the same conditions. The Mini device gave comparable results to the 10% breakthrough times and adsorption capacities of the organic vapor cartridges. The reproducibility of the packed carbon bed of the Mini provided strong support for using the Mini in breakthrough experiments for the characterization of the activated carbon adsorption capacity and estimation of cartridge service life.