Removal of VOCs at trace concentration levels from humid air by Microwave Swing Adsorption, kinetics and proper sorbent selection

Heat and mass transfer simulation of the microwave-assisted toluene desorption for activated carbons regeneration

The low cost and high efficiency of microwave-assisted regeneration render it a viable alternative to conventional regeneration methods. To enhance the regeneration performance, we developed a coupled electromagnetic, heat, and mass transfer model to investigate the heat and mass transfer mechanisms of activated carbon during microwave-assisted regeneration. Simulation results demonstrated that the toluene desorption process is governed by temperature distribution. Changing the input power and flow rate can promote the intensity of hot spots and adjust their distribution, respectively, thereby accelerating toluene desorption, inhibiting readsorption, and promoting regeneration efficiency. Ultimately, controlling the input power and flow rate can flexibly adjust toluene emissions to satisfy the processing demands of desorbed toluene. Taken together, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the heat and mass transfer mechanisms of microwave-assisted regeneration and insights into adsorbent regeneration.

Graphene oxide enhances thermal stability and microwave absorption/regeneration of a porous polymer

Microwave regeneration of adsorbents offers several advantages over conventional regeneration methods; however, its application for microwave transparent adsorbents such as polymers is challenging. In this study, hypercrosslinked polymer/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites with large surface area and enhanced microwave absorption ability were synthesized. Polymers of 4, 4´-bis ((chloromethyl)-1, 1´-biphenyl- benzyl chloride) were hypercrosslinked through the Friedel-Crafts reactions. GO sheets were synthesized through the Hummer's method. Nanocomposites with different GO contents (1-8 wt%) were synthesized by solution mixing method. Thermogravimetry analysis revealed a large enhancement in the thermal stability of GO-filled nanocomposites compared to pristine polymer. N₂ adsorption isotherm analysis showed 7% and 10% reduction in BET surface area and total pore volume of the nanocomposite with 8 wt% GO. Compared to the pristine polymer, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor increased from 5 to 17 and 0.05-1.6, respectively, for the nanocomposites with 8 wt% GO. Microwave-assisted desorption of toluene from samples revealed more than 160 ºC and 4 times improvement in the desorption temperature and desorption efficiency, respectively, by addition of 4 wt% GO to the polymer. This study showed the important role of GO addition for efficient microwave-assisted regeneration of polymer adsorbents.

Combining bi-functional Pt/USY and electromagnetic induction for rapid in-situ adsorption-combustion cycling of gaseous organic pollutant

By exploiting the superior adsorption capacity of ultra-stable Y-type zeolite (USY) and accurate input of energy by electromagnetic induction field (EMIF) technique, we successfully designed a highly energy-efficient system to eliminate gaseous toluene a common air pollutant. Pristine USY as adsorbent enriches gaseous toluene by a factor of fifteen, via room-temperature adsorption and then EMIF-driven thermal desorption. This operation model involving intermittent heating and mass transfer saves a lot of energy. Especially during temperature rising, 98.9% electric energy can be saved by the EMIF heating in comparison with conventional furnace approaches. In the bi-functional "adsorption-catalytic oxidation" 1Pt/USY, the concentrated toluene undergoes direct oxidation into CO₂ rather than desorption when the EMIF heating starts, so one-step enrichment and mineralization are realized. In addition, the developed bi-functional system operates between adsorption and catalytic decomposition flexibly, which makes it ideal for cleaning VOCs emitted from intermittent sources.

Catalyst Heating Characteristics in the Traveling-Wave Microwave Reactor

Traveling-Wave Microwave Reactor (TMR) presents a novel heterogeneous catalytic reactor concept based on a coaxial waveguide structure. In the current paper, both modeling and experimental studies of catalyst heating in the TMR are presented. The developed 3D multiphysics model was validated from the electromagnetic and heat transfer points of view. Extrudes of silicon carbide (SiC) were selected as catalyst supports and microwave absorbing media in a packed-bed configuration. The packed-bed temperature evolution was in good agreement with experimental data, with an average deviation of less than 10%. Both experimental and simulation results show that the homogeneous temperature distribution is possible in the TMR system. It is envisioned that the TMR concept may facilitate process scale-up while providing temperature homogeneity beyond the intrinsic restrictions of microwave cavity systems.

A critical review on VOCs adsorption by different porous materials: Species, mechanisms and modification methods

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have attracted world-wide attention regarding their serious hazards on ecological environment and human health. Industrial processes such as fossil fuel combustion, petrochemicals, painting, coatings, pesticides, plastics, contributed to the large proportion of anthropogenic VOCs emission. Destructive methods (catalysis oxidation and biofiltration) and recovery methods (absorption, adsorption, condensation and membrane separation) have been developed for VOCs removal. Adsorption is established as one of the most promising strategies for VOCs abatement thanks to its characteristics of cost-effectiveness, simplicity and low energy consumption. The prominent progress in VOCs adsorption by different kinds of porous materials (such as carbon-based materials, oxygen-contained materials, organic polymers and composites is carefully summarized in this work, concerning the mechanism of adsorbate-adsorbent interactions, modification methods for the mentioned porous materials, and enhancement of VOCs adsorption capacity. This overview is to provide a comprehensive understanding of VOCs adsorption mechanisms and up-to-date progress of modification technologies for different porous materials.

A Multiparameter Gas-Monitoring System Combining Functionalized and Non-Functionalized Microcantilevers

The aim of the study is to develop a compact, robust and maintenance free gas concentration and humidity monitoring system for industrial use in the field of inert process gases. Our multiparameter gas-monitoring system prototype allows the simultaneous measurement of the fluid physical properties (density, viscosity) and water vapor content (at ppm level) under varying process conditions. This approach is enabled by the combination of functionalized and non-functionalized resonating microcantilevers in a single sensing platform. Density and viscosity measuring performance is evaluated over a wide range of gases, temperatures and pressures with non-functionalized microcantilevers. For the humidity measurement, microporous Y-type zeolite and mesoporous silica MCM48 are evaluated as sensing materials. An easily scalable functionalization method to high-throughput production is herein adopted. Experimental results with functionalized microcantilevers exposed to water vapor (at ppm level) indicate that frequency changes cannot be attributed to a mass effect alone, but also stiffness effects dependent on adsorption of water and working temperature must be considered. To support this hypothesis, the mechanical response of such microcantilevers has been modelled considering both effects and the simulated results validated by comparison against experimental data.

Microwaves and Heterogeneous Catalysis: A Review on Selected Catalytic Processes

Since the late 1980s, the scientific community has been attracted to microwave energy as an alternative method of heating, due to the advantages that this technology offers over conventional heating technologies. In fact, differently from these, the microwave heating mechanism is a volumetric process in which heat is generated within the material itself, and, consequently, it can be very rapid and selective. In this way, the microwave-susceptible material can absorb the energy embodied in the microwaves. Application of the microwave heating technique to a chemical process can lead to both a reduction in processing time as well as an increase in the production rate, which is obtained by enhancing the chemical reactions and results in energy saving. The synthesis and sintering of materials by means of microwave radiation has been used for more than 20 years, while, future challenges will be, among others, the development of processes that achieve lower greenhouse gas (e.g., CO2) emissions and discover novel energy-saving catalyzed reactions. A natural choice in such efforts would be the combination of catalysis and microwave radiation. The main aim of this review is to give an overview of microwave applications in the heterogeneous catalysis, including the preparation of catalysts, as well as explore some selected microwave assisted catalytic reactions. The review is divided into three principal topics: (i) introduction to microwave chemistry and microwave materials processing; (ii) description of the loss mechanisms and microwave-specific effects in heterogeneous catalysis; and (iii) applications of microwaves in some selected chemical processes, including the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts.

Preparation of 3D network CNTs-modified nickel foam with enhanced microwave absorptivity and application potential in wastewater treatment

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified nickel foams (MWCNTs-NF) were developed with an electrophoretic deposition methodology for microwave (MW) assisted catalysis and processing enhancement. A nickel foam (NF) was selected to serve the dual purpose both as the MW absorbing catalytic materials and the matrix for MWCNTs loading in order to maximize the recyclability of the catalysts. The effects of electrophoretic voltage and concentration of electrophoretic fluid on the morphology and deposition characteristics of MWCNTs on the NF matrix were investigated. It was found that the MWCNTs-NF composite material resulted in strong enhancement of MW absorptivity with synergistic heat-generating effects that were not observed when MWCNTs or NF was exposed to MW alone. The combination of NF and MWCNTs brought a catalytic total organic carbon removal efficiency of 97% in wastewater treatment, while that using bare MWCNTs and NF were only 65.2% and 79.3%, respectively. The coupling of NF with MWCNTs led to the formation of additional MW-absorbing channels and focal sites with strong MW absorptivity, which in turn gave rise to the synergistic MW heating effects. This research highlights the great prospect of the MW-assisted reaction enhancement using the MWCNTs-NF composite material as the catalyst in wastewater treatment and other similar engineering applications.

Silver-Copper Oxide Heteronanostructures for the Plasmonic-Enhanced Photocatalytic Oxidation of N-Hexane in the Visible-NIR Range

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are recognized as hazardous contributors to air pollution, precursors of multiple secondary byproducts, troposphere aerosols, and recognized contributors to respiratory and cancer-related issues in highly populated areas. Moreover, VOCs present in indoor environments represent a challenging issue that need to be addressed due to its increasing presence in nowadays society. Catalytic oxidation by noble metals represents the most effective but costly solution. The use of photocatalytic oxidation has become one of the most explored alternatives given the green and sustainable advantages of using solar light or low-consumption light emitting devices. Herein, we have tried to address the shortcomings of the most studied photocatalytic systems based on titania (TiO₂) with limited response in the UV-range or alternatively the high recombination rates detected in other transition metal-based oxide systems. We have developed a silver-copper oxide heteronanostructure able to combine the plasmonic-enhanced properties of Ag nanostructures with the visible-light driven photoresponse of CuO nanoarchitectures. The entangled Ag-CuO heteronanostructure exhibits a broad absorption towards the visible-near infrared (NIR) range and achieves total photo-oxidation of n-hexane under irradiation with different light-emitting diodes (LEDs) specific wavelengths at temperatures below 180 °C and outperforming its thermal catalytic response or its silver-free CuO illuminated counterpart.

Three-Dimensional-Printed Core-Shell Structured MFI-Type Zeolite Monoliths for Volatile Organic Compound Capture under Humid Conditions

Crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites with high sorption capacity and low production cost have been recognized as a promising adsorbent for volatile organic compound (VOC) capture. However, the ubiquitous water vapor in the VOC streams may compete with VOCs during the practical separation process because of the hydrophilic property of aluminosilicate zeolites. Herein, a self-supporting core-shell structured MFI-type zeolite monolith was fabricated by 3D-printing aluminosilicate ZSM-5 zeolites as the core, followed by coating silicalite-1 zeolites as a hydrophobic shell via post-hydrothermal crystallization. Natural sepiolite nanofibers (SNFs) were employed as printing ink additives for reinforcing the mechanical stability of 3D-printed ZSM-5 monoliths. Colloidal silica was also introduced into the printing inks, affording continuous growth of silicalite-1 layers (with a thickness of ∼200 nm) over ZSM-5 crystals. Such core-shell structured MFI-type zeolite monoliths exhibited superior dynamic adsorption performance for toluene at 298 K under humid conditions (relative humidity: 50%), with a saturated adsorption capacity of 44.3 mg/g. This work provides a facile strategy for designing self-supporting zeolite monoliths with core-shell architectures for adsorption/separation and other advanced applications.

Perspectives of Microwaves-Enhanced Heterogeneous Catalytic Gas-Phase Processes in Flow Systems

The paper discusses the currents status and future perspectives of the utilization of microwaves, as a selective and locally controlled heating method, in heterogeneous catalytic flow reactors. Various factors related to the microwave-catalyst interaction and the design of microwave-assisted catalytic reactor systems are analyzed. The analysis clearly shows the superiority of the traveling-wave systems over the mono-mode and multi-mode cavity-based systems when it comes to the design and application of microwave flow reactors at relevant production scales.

Microwave-Assisted Catalytic Combustion for the Efficient Continuous Cleaning of VOC-Containing Air Streams

A microwave-heated adsorbent-reactor system has been used for the continuous cleaning of air streams containing n-hexane at low concentrations. Both, a single catalytic bed (PtY zeolite) and a double (adsorptive DAY zeolite + catalytic PtY zeolite) fixed-bed reactor configurations were studied under dry and humid conditions. The zeolites were selectively heated by short periodic microwave pulses that caused the desorption of n-hexane and its subsequent catalytic combustion. The double bed configuration was attractive because it allowed nearly the same performance with only half of the catalyst load. The operation was especially efficient under realistic humid gas conditions that favored more intense microwave absorption, producing a faster heating of the adsorptive and catalytic beds. Under these conditions, continuous gas cleaning could be achieved with short (3 min, 30 W) microwave heating pulses every 5 min.

Adsorption properties of regenerative materials for removal of low concentration of toluene

A specific type of material, activated carbon fiber (ACF), was modified by SiO₂, and the final products ACF-x were obtained as ACF-12.5, ACF-20, ACF-40, and ACF-80 according to different dosages of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The modified material on the ACF surface had a significant and smooth cover layer with low content of silica from scanning electron microscope (SEM) image. The modified ACF-x showed the stronger hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and adsorption capacity, which had almost no effect in the presence of water vapor and no destruction in multiple cycles. ACF-20 was proven as the most efficient adsorbent in humid conditions. The dual-function system composed of the regenerative adsorbents and the combustion catalyst would be efficient in consecutive toluene adsorption/oxidation cycles, in which the combustion catalyst was prepared by the displacement reaction of H₂PtCl₆ with foam Ni. Therefore, the adsorption/catalytic oxidation could be a promising technique in the indoor air purification, especially in the case of very low volatile organic compound (VOC; toluene) concentration levels.

IMPLICATIONS

Exploring highly effective adsorptive materials with less expensive costs becomes an urgent issue in the indoor air protection. ACF-20 modified by SiO₂ with Pt/Ni catalysts shows stronger hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and adsorption capacity. This dual-function system composed of the regenerative materials and the combustion catalyst would be a promising technique in the indoor air purification, especially in the case of removal of very low concentration of toluene.

Numerical simulation of hot-spot effects in microwave heating due to the existence of strong microwave-absorbing media

Hot spots exist and may trigger temperature gaps at the magnitude of several hundred degrees Celsius in certain microwave heating.