Energetic investigation of the adsorption process of CH4, C 2H6 and N2 on activated carbon: Numerical and statistical physics treatment

Abstract

The adsorption energy distribution (AED) function of a commercial activated carbon (BDH-activated carbon) was investigated. For this purpose, the integral equation is derived by using a purely analytical statistical physics treatment. The description of the heterogeneity of the adsorbent is significantly clarified by defining the parameter N?m(E). This parameter represents the energetic density of the spatial density of the effectively occupied sites. To solve the integral equation, a numerical method was used based on an adequate algorithm. The Langmuir model was adopted as a local adsorption isotherm. This model is developed by using the grand canonical ensemble, which allows defining the physico-chemical parameters involved in the adsorption process. The AED function is estimated by a normal Gaussian function. This method is applied to the adsorption isotherms of nitrogen, methane and ethane at different temperatures. The development of the AED using a statistical physics treatment provides an explanation of the gas molecules behaviour during the adsorption process and gives new physical interpretations at microscopic levels.