TEMPERATURE PROFILE AND OPTIMAL ROTATION SPEED OF A HONEYCOMB ROTOR ADSORBER OPERATED WITH THERMAL SWING

Two-dimensional temperature profiles along the honeycomb axis and rotation angle were monitored by six pairs of thermocouples placed in the rotor at equal intervals in order to measure the extent of regeneration of the rotor. At an optimal rotation speed, the axial part of the rotor near the gas exit is not heated up to the regeneration temperature in the regeneration zone whit the exit temperature remains at a characteristic temperature under dynamic equilibrium. Effects of rotation speed n, air velocity U, regeneration temperature T-el and feed humidity H-s0 on temperature profile in a honeycomb adsorbent rotor were investigated in terms of relative heat capacity Lambda=rho(b)C(pc)nL/beta rho(g)C(pg)U, number of mass transfer units N=kamL/rho(g)U and latent heat ratio r=Q'H-s0/C-pg(T-el-T-s0). Temperature distribution is not much different for various values of N. Regeneration of the rotor becomes incomplete and the cooling stage becomes longer dth an increasing value of Lambda. Regeneration of the rotor becomes incomplete as the value of r becomes larger. Based on experimental results, optimal rotation speed n(opt) decreases to some extent at higher humidity and lower regeneration temperature, The final recommendation for the optimal rotation speed is given by a simple relationship Lambda(opt) = 0.38(1-r).