MaximaLabs
All unit operations

Vacuum PSA (multi-bed) simulation

1 feed -> product + tail_gas (N-bed vacuum cyclic pressure-swing)

Governing equations

The exact equations the solver works for a vacuum psa (multi-bed) — the same math shown in the app's "Theory" panel, not a black box.

dqidt=kLDF,i(qieqqi)\frac{dq_i}{dt} = k_{LDF,i}\,(q_i^{eq} - q_i)
qieq=qmax,ibipi1+jbjpj(competitive Langmuir)q_i^{eq}=\frac{q_{max,i}\,b_i\,p_i}{1+\sum_j b_j p_j}\quad(\text{competitive Langmuir})
N-bed cycle: adsorbequalizeevacuatepurge\text{N-bed cycle: adsorb} \to \text{equalize} \to \text{evacuate} \to \text{purge}
plow<1atm(sub-atmospheric evacuation)p_{low} < 1\,\text{atm} \quad (\text{sub-atmospheric evacuation})

Parameters

isotherms {component: {q_max, b}} (the adsorbed species, e.g. N2 on zeolite), adsorbent_mass_per_bed [kg], bed_void_volume [m3], n_stages, p_high/p_low [Pa] (p_low sub-atmospheric), step_time [s], optional ldf_k, purge_fraction, n_beds [default 4], n_equalization_steps, n_cycles; optional non-isothermal energy balance q_iso {component: [J/mol]} + bed_heat_capacity [J/K] (heat of adsorption -> bed temperature swing) — N-bed vacuum pressure-swing (e.g. O2 from air)

Example flowsheets that use it

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