Study of Pb2+ adsorption in a packed bed column of bentonite using CFD

•This MS investigated the Pb2+ adsorption in a packed bed of bentonite using CFD.•A 2D two-phase model was successfully developed and applied to describe the Pb2+ adsorption.•Advanced concepts of fluid flow and local mass transfer in packed beds were applied.•The validated model results provided an in depth analysis of the transport phenomena.

ObjectivesIn this study, experiments and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations were conducted to investigate lead ion (Pb2+) adsorption in bentonite.MethodExperiments were carried out in a fixed bed column at 30°C, pH = 4.0 and average particle diameter of 0.127 mm. The influence of the flow rate on the breakthrough curves was examined with constant inlet concentration equal to 0.88 meq L-1. The CFD technique was used for the simulation of flow patterns and ion concentration profiles inside the fixed bed column during the adsorption process. A 2D axisymmetric model based on Navier-Stokes and diffusion-convection equations was used for simulating the fluid phase.ResultsExperimental data obtained for different inlet flow rates and Pb2+ concentrations were used for validating the model.ConclusionThe CFD simulations predicted the experimental behavior of the fixed bed adsorption very well in all conditions under study.