EQUILIBRIUM AND KINETICS OF ADSORPTION OF FREON-12 AT INFINITE DILUTION

Equilibrium and kinetic data for adsorption of trace CF2Cl2 (Freon-12) from various carrier gases on BPL activated carbon are reported. Coadsorption of the bulk carrier gas can severely reduce the equilibrium adsorption capacity and adsorptive mass-transfer coefficient of strongly adsorbed CF2Cl2. The difference in size between CF2Cl2 and the bulk carrier gas molecules plays a major role in establishing the binary or multicomponent equilibrium adsorption properties. The multisite (single and multicomponent) Langmuir model, which accounts for differences in adsorbate sizes, provides a reasonable framework for describing the size effects. The adsorptive mass transfer of CF2Cl2 under the experimental conditions investigated is dominated by surface diffusion into the pores of the activated carbon. The surface diffusivity is a strong function of the extent of coverage and strength of adsorption of the bulk components.