Development and Fabrication of a Pressure Swing Adsorption System Using Molecular Sieve 13X for Integrated CO₂ Capture and Electrochemical Conversion
Keywords:
CO2 capture, Pressure Swing Adsorption, gas adsorption, molecular sieve Zeolite 13XAbstract
This study focuses on the development and performance evaluation of a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) system utilizing molecular sieve Zeolite 13X for CO2 capture. A fixed-bed reactor was designed and simulated with Aspen Adsorption to optimise adsorption conditions. The system, tested with a 24.75 L/min gas feed (10% CO2, 90% N2) at 30 °C and 6 bar, operated cyclically every 7 minutes. Simulation results recommended a reactor volume of 4.9 L (ID 102 mm × T/T 600 mm). Sensitivity analysis showed that adsorption capacity declined as CO2 concentration increased, with CO2 uptake decreasing from 24.75 L/min at 10%-mol to 8.44 L/min at 70%-mol. Key design parameters such as feed flow rate, intraparticle voids, bulk density, and particle size were also evaluated. A prototype was built based on simulation results and tested, achieving a 120 s breakthrough time and an optimal 60 s swing interval over 17 cycles. This work supports the future integration of PSA-based CO2 capture with electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECO2R).
References
Abd, A.A., Naji, S.Z., Hashim, A.S. & Othman, M.R., 2020, ‘Carbon dioxide removal through physical adsorption using carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous adsorbents: A review’, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 8(5), 104142.
Abdul Kareem, F.A., Shariff, A.M., Ullah, S., Mellon, N. & Keong, L.K., 2018, ‘Adsorption of pure and predicted binary (CO2:CH4) mixtures on 13X-Zeolite: Equilibrium and kinetic properties at offshore conditions’, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 267, 221–234.
Aldaco, R., Butnar, I., Margallo, M., Laso, J., Rumayor, M., Dominguez-Ramos, A., Irabien, A. & Dodds, P.E., 2019, ‘Bringing value to the chemical industry from capture, storage and use of CO2: A dynamic LCA of formic acid production’, Science of The Total Environment, 663, 738–753.
Aspen Technology, 2023, Aspen Adsorption Help/Using Aspen Adsorption/Adsorption Reference and Strategy/Gas Dynamic Adsorption Models/Configure Gas Layer Form (gas).
Bahmanzadegan, F. & Ghaemi, A., 2024, ‘Modification and functionalization of zeolites to improve the efficiency of CO2 adsorption: A review’, Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 9, 100564.
Bahrun, M.H.V., Bono, A., Zaini, M.A.A., Othman, N. & Saptoro, A., 2022, ‘Dynamic performances of adsorbents in an industrial-sized packed bed column for lead ion removal’, Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery.
Cavenati, S., Grande, C.A. & Rodrigues, A.E., 2004, ‘Adsorption Equilibrium of Methane, Carbon Dioxide, and Nitrogen on Zeolite 13X at High Pressures’, Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 49(4), 1095–1101.
Cen, P., 1985, A study on multicomponent, bulk gas mixture separation by pressure swing adsorption and on breakthrough curve, State University of New York at Buffalo .
Chen, L., Deng, S., Zhao, R., Zhu, Y., Zhao, L. & Li, S., 2021, ‘Temperature swing adsorption for CO2 capture: Thermal design and management on adsorption bed with single-tube/three-tube internal heat exchanger’, Applied Thermal Engineering, 199, 117538.
Dantas, T.L.P., Luna, F.M.T., Silva, I.J., Azevedo, D.C.S. de, Grande, C.A., Rodrigues, A.E. & Moreira, R.F.P.M., 2011, ‘Carbon dioxide–nitrogen separation through adsorption on activated carbon in a fixed bed’, Chemical Engineering Journal, 169(1–3), 11–19.
Grande, C.A., Roussanaly, S., Anantharaman, R., Lindqvist, K., Singh, P. & Kemper, J., 2017, ‘CO2 Capture in Natural Gas Production by Adsorption Processes’, Energy Procedia, 114, 2259–2264.
Hägg, M.-B. & Lindbråthen, A., 2005, ‘CO 2 Capture from Natural Gas Fired Power Plants by Using Membrane Technology’, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44(20), 7668–7675.
Hauchhum, L., Mahanta, P. & Wilde, J. De, 2015, ‘Capture of $$hbox {CO}_{2}$$ CO 2 from Flue Gas onto Coconut Fibre-Based Activated Carbon and Zeolites in a Fixed Bed’, Transport in Porous Media, 110(3), 503–519.
Herzog, H.J., 1999, ‘The economics of CO2 capture’, Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies 4, pp. 101–106, Elsevier.
Ho, M.T., Allinson, G.W. & Wiley, D.E., 2008, ‘Reducing the Cost of CO 2 Capture from Flue Gases Using Pressure Swing Adsorption’, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 47(14), 4883–4890.
IEA, 2024, CO2 Emissions in 2023, Paris .
Khoramzadeh, E., Mofarahi, M. & Lee, C.-H., 2019, ‘Equilibrium Adsorption Study of CO 2 and N 2 on Synthesized Zeolites 13X, 4A, 5A, and Beta’, Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 64(12), 5648–5664.
Ko, D., Siriwardane, R. & Biegler, L.T., 2005, ‘Optimization of Pressure Swing Adsorption and Fractionated Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption Processes for CO 2 Capture’, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44(21), 8084–8094.
Lee, S.-Y. & Park, S.-J., 2015, ‘A review on solid adsorbents for carbon dioxide capture’, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 23, 1–11.
Liu, F., Chen, S. & Gao, Y., 2017, ‘Synthesis of porous polymer based solid amine adsorbent: Effect of pore size and amine loading on CO2 adsorption’, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 506, 236–244.
Lu, G., Wang, Z., Bhatti, U.H. & Fan, X., 2023, ‘Recent progress in carbon dioxide capture technologies: A review’, Clean Energy Science and Technology, 1(1).
Lu, J., Tang, J., Li, J. & Wang, S., 2022, ‘The comparison of adsorption characteristics of CO2/H2O and N2/H2O on activated carbon, activated alumina, zeolite 3A and 13X’, Applied Thermal Engineering, 213, 118746.
Merkel, T.C., Wei, X., He, Z., White, L.S., Wijmans, J.G. & Baker, R.W., 2013, ‘Selective Exhaust Gas Recycle with Membranes for CO 2 Capture from Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Plants’, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 52(3), 1150–1159.
Monazam, E.R., Spenik, J. & Shadle, L.J., 2013, ‘Fluid bed adsorption of carbon dioxide on immobilized polyethylenimine (PEI): Kinetic analysis and breakthrough behavior’, Chemical Engineering Journal, 223, 795–805.
Plaza, M.G., García, S., Rubiera, F., Pis, J.J. & Pevida, C., 2010, ‘Post-combustion CO2 capture with a commercial activated carbon: Comparison of different regeneration strategies’, Chemical Engineering Journal, 163(1–2), 41–47.
Rumayor, M., Dominguez-Ramos, A. & Irabien, A., 2018, ‘Formic Acid Manufacture: Carbon Dioxide Utilization Alternatives’, Applied Sciences, 8(6), 914.
Russo, G., Prpich, G., Anthony, E.J., Montagnaro, F., Jurado, N., Lorenzo, G. Di & Darabkhani, H.G., 2018, ‘Selective-exhaust gas recirculation for CO2 capture using membrane technology’, Journal of Membrane Science, 549, 649–659.
Ruthven, D.M., 1984, Principles of adsorption & adsorption processes, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Sabri, N.H., Rani, N.H.A., Mohamad, N.F., Mohd Muhsen, N.A.S. & Md Zaini, M.S., 2023, ‘Simulation of CO2 capture for amine impregnated activated carbon - palm kernel shell (AC-PKS) adsorbent in pressure swing adsorption (PSA) using Aspen Adsorption’, Materials Today: Proceedings.
Salahudeen, N., 2022, ‘A Review on Zeolite: Application, Synthesis and Effect of Synthesis Parameters on Product Properties’, Chemistry Africa, 5(6), 1889–1906.
Silva, F.G. da, Vasilakaki, M., Cabreira Gomes, R., Aquino, R., Campos, A.F.C., Dubois, E., Perzynski, R., Depeyrot, J. & Trohidou, K., 2022, ‘A numerical study on the interplay between the intra-particle and interparticle characteristics in bimagnetic soft/soft and hard/soft ultrasmall nanoparticle assemblies’, Nanoscale Advances, 4(18), 3777–3785.
Sing, K.S.W., 1985, ‘Reporting physisorption data for gas/solid systems with special reference to the determination of surface area and porosity (Recommendations 1984)’, Pure and Applied Chemistry, 57(4), 603–619.
Siriwardane, R. V., Shen, M.-S. & Fisher, E.P., 2003, ‘Adsorption of CO 2 , N 2 , and O 2 on Natural Zeolites’, Energy & Fuels, 17(3), 571–576.
Siriwardane, R. V., Shen, M.-S., Fisher, E.P. & Poston, J.A., 2001, ‘Adsorption of CO 2 on Molecular Sieves and Activated Carbon’, Energy & Fuels, 15(2), 279–284.
Song, C., Kansha, Y., Ishizuka, M., Fu, Q. & Tsutsumi, A., 2015, ‘Conceptual design of a novel pressure swing CO2 adsorption process based on self-heat recuperation technology’, Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification, 94, 20–28.
Thang, H.V., Grajciar, L., Nachtigall, P., Bludský, O., Areán, C.O., Frýdová, E. & Bulánek, R., 2014, ‘Adsorption of CO2 in FAU zeolites: Effect of zeolite composition’, Catalysis Today, 227, 50–56.
Thommes, M., Kaneko, K., Neimark, A. V., Olivier, J.P., Rodriguez-Reinoso, F., Rouquerol, J. & Sing, K.S.W., 2015, ‘Physisorption of gases, with special reference to the evaluation of surface area and pore size distribution (IUPAC Technical Report)’, Pure and Applied Chemistry, 87(9–10), 1051–1069.
Wang, J., Huang, L., Yang, R., Zhang, Z., Wu, J., Gao, Y., Wang, Q., O’Hare, D. & Zhong, Z., 2014, ‘Recent advances in solid sorbents for CO 2 capture and new development trends’, Energy Environ. Sci., 7(11), 3478–3518.
Yang, L., Dadwhal, M., Shahrivari, Z., Ostwal, M., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M. & Tsotsis, T.T., 2006, ‘Adsorption of Arsenic on Layered Double Hydroxides: Effect of the Particle Size’, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 45(13), 4742–4751.
Yang, R.T., 2003, Adsorbents: Fundamentals and Applications, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , New Jersey.
Younas, M., Sohail, M., Leong, L.K., Bashir, M.J. & Sumathi, S., 2016, ‘Feasibility of CO2 adsorption by solid adsorbents: a review on low-temperature systems’, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 13(7), 1839–1860.
Yu, X., Catanescu, C.O., Bird, R.E., Satagopan, S., Baum, Z.J., Lotti Diaz, L.M. & Zhou, Q.A., 2023, ‘Trends in Research and Development for CO 2 Capture and Sequestration’, ACS Omega, 8(13), 11643–11664.
Zeolites & Allied Products Pvt. Ltd., no date, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) Molecular Sieve 13X.
Zhou, C., Alshameri, A., Yan, C., Qiu, X., Wang, H. & Ma, Y., 2013, ‘Characteristics and evaluation of synthetic 13X zeolite from Yunnan’s natural halloysite’, Journal of Porous Materials, 20(4), 587–594.
Zhou, L., Qu, Z.G., Chen, L. & Tao, W.Q., 2015, ‘Lattice Boltzmann simulation of gas–solid adsorption processes at pore scale level’, Journal of Computational Physics, 300, 800–813.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 © Copyright by Authors. Published by LEMIGAS

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors are free to Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms, under the following terms Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.