Determination of periodic states of pressure swing adsorption cycles

Abstract

This paper compares two methods for the determination of periodic states of adsorption cycles based on mathematical modelling. Emphasis is on pressure swing adsorption, although the methods are valid for cycles of any type. The methods are (1) the traditional, successive substitution approach in which the final condition of a cycle is used as the initial condition of the next cycle, and (2) a new approach for directly determining the periodic states. Rates of convergence of the methods are illustrated using a literature example for air separation using carbon molecular sieve to produce N₂.