Volume 1 Issue 1 ( March 2014 )

Adsorption isotherms of ethanol onto surface treated activated carbons, namely H₂ treated Maxsorb III and KOH-H₂ treated Maxsorb III have been investigated experimentally. The magnetic suspension adsorption measurement unit of type MSB-VG-S2 is used for measuring the equilibrium uptake over adsorption temperatures range from 30 to 70°C and evaporation temperatures between -6 and 65°C. The Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) and Dubinin-Astakhov (D-A) adsorption isotherm models are used to correlate the experimental data and to draw pressure-temperature-concentration (P-T-W) diagrams of the assorted pairs. Employing a time independent thermodynamic model, the coefficient of performance (COP) and specific cooling capacity (SCE) of the ideal adsorption cooling cycle has also been studied. Theoretical results show that the cycle performance using H₂-Maxsorb III/ethanol pair is superior to that of KOH-H₂-Maxsorb III/ethanol pair.

Keywords: thermodynamic analysis, adsorption isotherm, ethanol, ideal cooling cycle