Materiais Adsorventes e Processos de Adsorção

Objectives

Students shall obtain knowledge and competences on the areas of: 1) adsorption phenomena of gases and liquids in adsorbent materials; 2) understand the different types of adsorbents and main characterization techniques; 3) application of adsorbents in different contexts (decontamination of liquids and gases, separation of mixtures, storage); 4) optimization of cyclic adsorption processes with computational methods; 5) critical evaluation of adsorption processes and their comparison with other technologies.

Syllabus

Adsorbents and adsorption: Different types of adsorbent materials with their specific potential and limitations. Preparation/production of adsorbent materials. Characterization of adsorbents and adsorption data analysis (isotherms, isobars, heats of adsorption). Estimation of adsorption properties by experimental and molecular simulation methods. Adsorption processes: Examples of application of adsorbents in different contexts: environmental remediation, decontamination of fluids, separation of mixtures, medical applications, etc. Continuous and batch processes. Pressure and temperature swing processes, moving bead and simulated moving bead methods. Adsorption processes modeling. Laboratory: Projects with different final objectives, depending on the interests of the students and group. They shall be about dimensioning of adsorbers; estimation of properties; optimization of adsorption processes.

Prerequisites

Mass and energy balances; termodynamics; chemistry

Cross Competence Component

Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills: oral, organizational and teamwork presentation and self-discipline (early preparation of questions, limited deadline and limited question sessions, group work), critical thinking (selection and analysis of alternatives and solutions), ability to locate, access and select information (adsorption data will be obtained by students from general access sources). It is expected that the contribution of these skills to the final evalaution is 10%.

Laboratorial Component

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Programming And Computing Component

Project at LTI in groups of 3 to 4 students, for calculation of properties of the materials, or analysis of adsorption data or dimensioning of a processes/equipment. The work will be presented at a final seminar with all students/groups, followed by a discussion by all. Simulation of processes, optimization/solving non-linear systems, estimation of properties using statistical mechanics and molecular dynamics methods

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group´s work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.