∂ 2Tw

− kw
∂z 2
You must specify the value of the wall thermal conductivity k w in the Specify
table for the layer.

Gas Adsorption: Heat Content of Wall

The Heat Content of Wall term is always included in the wall energy balance:
∂Tw
ρ w C pw
∂t
You must specify the value of the wall density ρw and the specific heat
capacity of the wall C pw in the Specify table for the layer.

Gas Adsorption: Explanation of

Equation Symbols
Symbol Explanation Aspen Adsim base units
a Specific particle surface. m2/m3

aHx Specific heat exchanger surface. m2(HX area)/m3(Bed)

aP Specific particle surface per unit volume m2(Particle area)/m3(Bed)

bed.

A Area. m2

AA Placeholder variable used for Dubinin-

Astakhov isotherm evaluation.

b Kinetic Langmuir factor. 1/bar

cbk Bulk gas phase concentration. kmol/m3

ck Molar concentration of component k. kmol/m3

cmsk Macropore gas phase concentration. kmol/m3

csol Concentration of solid phase reactant. kmol/kg

c pai Specific heat capacity of adsorbed phase. MJ/kmol/K

c p ,cat Specific heat capacity of catalyst. MJ/kg/K

c pg Specific gas phase heat capacity at MJ/kmol/K

constant pressure.

c ps Specific heat capacity of adsorbent. MJ/kmol/K

c pW Specific heat capacity of column wall. MJ/kg/K

1 Gas Adsorption Processes 93

cvg Specific gas phase heat capacity at MJ/kmol/K
constant volume.

DB Bed diameter. m

Defc Effective micropore diffusion coefficient. m2/s

DefP Effective macropore diffusion coefficient. m2/s

Dek Effective adsorbed phase diffusivity of m2/s

component k.

Dki Knudsen diffusion coefficient of component m2/s

i.

Dmk Mean molecular diffusion coefficient of m2/s

component k.

Eact ,k Activation energy for Arrhenius MJ/kmol

relationship.

Eik Radial dispersion coefficient of component m2/s

k.

E zk Axial dispersion coefficient of component k. m2/s

f Function. -

f eq Equilibrium (isotherm) relationship. -

H amb Wall-ambient heat transfer coefficient. MW/m2/K

HB Height of adsorbent layer. m

Hi Rate of change of heat of adsorbed phase. MJ/m3/s

HR Combined heats of homogenous and MJ/m3 (Bed)/s

heterogeneous reactions.

H Rcat Heat of catalytic reaction. MJ/kmol

H Rgas Gas phase heat of reaction. MJ/kmol

H Ti Heat of adsorption contribution to solid MJ/m3/s

phase energy balance.

Hw Gas-wall heat transfer coefficient. MJ/m2/s

∆H i Heat of adsorption of component i. MJ/kmol

HTC Gas-solid heat transfer coefficient. MJ/m2/s

IP Isotherm parameter, units depend on

isotherm.

j Colburn j-factor for heat or mass transfer. -

J ads ,k Mass transfer rate of component k owing to kmol/m3 (Bed)/s

adsorption.

J cat ,reac ,k Mass transfer rate of component k owing to kmol/m3 (Bed)/s

heterogeneous catalytic reactions.

1 Gas Adsorption Processes 94

J gas ,reac Mass transfer rate of component k owing to kmol/m3 (Void)/s
homogenous, gas phase reactions.

Jk Mass transfer rate of component k to/from kmol/m3 (Bed)/s

adsorbent.

k0 k Pre-exponential factor for Arrhenius m/s

relationship.

k 0 Pk Pre-exponential factor for pressure m/s

dependent Arrhenius relationship.

k fk Film mass transfer coefficient of component m/s

k.

kg Gas phase thermal conductivity. MW/m/K

k gr Effective radial gas phase thermal MW/m/K

conductivity.

k grdyn Dynamic contribution to k gr . MW/m/K

k grstat Static contribution to k sr . MW/m/K

ki Effective, lumped mass transfer coefficient 1/s

of component i.

ks Solid thermal conductivity. MW/m/K

k gz Effective axial gas phase thermal MW/m/K

conductivity.

k sr Effective radial solid phase thermal MW/m/K

conductivity.

k srstat Static contribution to k gr . MW/m/K

k sz Effective axial solid phase thermal MW/m/K

conductivity.

kW Thermal conductivity of column wall. MW/m/K

K Ki Isotherm slope of component i (Henry’s m3/kg

coefficient).

Dimensionless isotherm slope of -

K Ki component i (Henry’s coefficient).

K mac Macropore mass transfer coefficient. 1/s

K mic Micropore mass transfer coefficient. 1/s

Kp Darcy’s constant. bar s/m2

K Pi Macropore diffusion coefficient. m2/s

L Length of horizontal bed. m

M Molecular weight. kg/kmol

MTC g Gas film mass transfer coefficient. 1/s

MTCs Solid film mass transfer coefficient. 1/s

1 Gas Adsorption Processes 95

p Emissivity in calculation of effective
thermal conductivities.

P Pressure. bar

IAS vapor pressure. bar

Pi 0

Psat Saturation pressure. bar

QHx Heat transfer rate to internal heat MJ/m2/s

exchanger.

r Radial co-ordinate (in packed bed or m

particle).

rc Microparticle (crystal) radius. m

rp Particle radius. m

R Universal gas constant. bar m3/kmol/K

Rcat Catalytic reaction rate. kmol/kg/s

Rgas Gas phase reaction rate. kmol/m3/s

Rsol Solid phase reaction rate. kmol/kg/s

t Time. s

tcycle Adsorption cycle time. s

T Temperature. K

T0 Equal to Tamb or TW , depending on K

context used.

Tamb Ambient temperature. K

Tc Critical temperature. K

TCW Cooling water temperature. K

Ts Solid phase temperature. K

Tg Gas phase temperature. K

THx Heat exchange medium temperature. K

TSt Steam temperature. K

TW Wall temperature. K

Tort Adsorbent tortuosity. -

U Hx Overall heat transfer coefficient: gas to MW/m2/K

heat exchange medium.

U Hx ,cw Overall heat transfer coefficient: gas to MW/m2/K

cooling water.

1 Gas Adsorption Processes 96

U Hx , St Overall heat transfer coefficient: gas to MW/m2/K
steam.

vg Gas phase superficial velocity. m/s

wk Loading. kmol/kg

Pure component loading of component k. kmol/kg

wk0
W Width of horizontal bed. m

WT Width of column wall. m

xchar Characteristic length. m

xk Mole fraction of component k in the -

adsorbed phase.

yk Mole fraction of component k in the gas -

phase.

z Axial co-ordinate. m

Z Gas compressibility factor. -

Symbol Explanation Aspen Adsim base units

α rg Radiation contribution to k grstat .

α rs Radiation contribution to k srstat .

β Factor used in k grstat calculation.

∆r Radial discretization distance. m

εB Total bed voidage. m3 (Void+Pore)/m3 (Bed)

εi Interparticle voidage. m3 (Void)/m3 (Bed)

εP Intraparticle voidage. m3 (Pore)/m3 (Particle)

φ Function of packing density, used in k srstat

calculation.

φ Relative pressure: Pk / Psat ,k . -

γ Factor used in k srstat calculation.

γi Activity coefficient of component i. -

µ Dynamic viscosity. N s/m2

µ ads,i Chemical potential of component i in the

adsorbed phase.
MJ/kmol

µ gas,i Chemical potential of component i in the

gas phase.
MJ/kmol

ν jk Stoichiometric coefficient of component k

in reaction j.
-

1 Gas Adsorption Processes 97

 Spreading pressure of component i. bar m
Π i0
θ Time constant for adsorption cycle. -

ρg Gas phase molar density. kmol/m3

ρs Adsorbent bulk density. kg/m3

ρ s,cat Catalyst bulk density. kg/m3

ρW Wall density. kg/m3

Ω Parameter in Glueckauf expression. -

Ψ Particle shape factor. -

Dimensionless number Defining expression Description

NuW H w xchar Nusselt number for gas wall heat transfer.

kg

PeH xchar vg ρ g MC pg Gas-wall heat transfer Peclet number.

kg

PeK vgH b Component Peclet number for mass

transfer.
Ez
Pr µ C pg Prandl number.
kg M

Sck µ Component Schmidt number.

Dmi ρ g M

Shk k fi 2rp Component Sherwood number.

Dmi
Re 2rp M ρ g vg Particle Reynolds number.
µ

1 Gas Adsorption Processes 98