Adsorption of methyl ethyl ketone and trichloroethene from aqueous solutions onto silicalite fixed-bed adsorbers

This work addresses the adsorption of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and trichloroethene (TCE) from aqueous solutions on agglomerated silicalite. Results from both equilibrium and fixed-bed adsorption studies in aqueous solutions are given. The breakthrough curves of MEK could be described adequately with a bidisperse model. It was observed that the mass transfer of MEK is controlled by both the external and the macropore transport. The breakthrough curves of TCE are also adequately described with the same model, for which the micropore resistance was the most important one. The thermal regeneration of the agglomerated silicalite loaded with MEK by passing a purging gas through the bed (nitrogen and air) was also studied. No decrease of the adsorption capacity with the number of regeneration cycles was observed.