Experimental Study on Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide on 13X Molecular Sieve for Coolant Helium Purification

The adsorption capability of carbon dioxide on 13X molecular sieve (13XMS) was investigated in a fixed-bed apparatus with two-road gas mixing system by dynamic column breakthrough method with helium as carrier gas at helium purification conditions of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). Experiments were performed at temperatures of 5°C ∼35 °C and low carbon dioxide partial pressure range of 10∼150Pa. By analyzing the breakthrough curve, both equilibrium adsorption capacity and kinetic adsorption capacity at breakthrough point were determined. Based on mass-transfer zone model, the experimental breakthrough curves at different operation conditions were analyzed. The carbon dioxide isotherm on 13XMS was fitted well by Langmuir model and the enthalpy of adsorption of carbon dioxide was estimated.