Influence of Activated Carbon Granulometry on H₂ Purification in Glycerol Reforming Syngas: Adsorption and Kinetic Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the adsorption performance of granular activated carbon (GAC) and pelletized activated carbon (PAC) for the purification of syngas produced from glycerol reforming, focusing on the removal of CO2, CO, and CH4. The adsorption process was studied at two different flow rates (0.5 L/min and 1 L/min) to assess the impact of particle size and gas flow rate on adsorption capacity. The results indicate that GAC exhibits superior multi-gas adsorption, particularly at lower flow rates, effectively capturing CO2, CO, and CH4, while PAC exhibits lower adsorption performance. Kinetic analysis revealed that the pseudo-second-order and Avrami models fit well with both adsorbents, though GAC aligns more closely with the Avrami model, reflecting its multi-step adsorption mechanism and greater pore diffusion efficiency. These findings highlight the importance of adsorbent size and flow rate in optimizing hydrogen purification processes, with GAC emerging as a highly efficient adsorbent for industrial-scale syngas treatment.

Keywords

• hydrogen purification
• granular activated carbon
• pelletized activated carbon
• breakthrough time analysis
• CO₂ adsorption kinetics
• intraparticle diffusion model