Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry

Activated carbons (ACs) are employed in the nuclear industry to mitigate the emission of potential radioactive iodine species. Their retention performances towards iodine are mainly dependent on the relative humidity due to the competitive effect induced by adsorbed water molecules. Thus, this work...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Felipe Cabral Borges Martins, Mouheb Chebbi, Céline Monsanglant-Louvet, Bénoit Marcillaud, Audrey Roynette
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Separations
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/5/126
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849718759891140608
author Felipe Cabral Borges Martins
Mouheb Chebbi
Céline Monsanglant-Louvet
Bénoit Marcillaud
Audrey Roynette
author_facet Felipe Cabral Borges Martins
Mouheb Chebbi
Céline Monsanglant-Louvet
Bénoit Marcillaud
Audrey Roynette
author_sort Felipe Cabral Borges Martins
collection DOAJ
description Activated carbons (ACs) are employed in the nuclear industry to mitigate the emission of potential radioactive iodine species. Their retention performances towards iodine are mainly dependent on the relative humidity due to the competitive effect induced by adsorbed water molecules. Thus, this work will focus on the prediction of AC behavior toward the capture of water vapor to better assess the poisoning effect on radiotoxic iodine removal. For the first time, H<sub>2</sub>O breakthrough curves (BTCs) on nuclear grade ACs are predicted through a specific methodology based on the combination of transport phenomena with adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. Three ACs, similar to those deployed in the nuclear context, are considered within the present study. Our model is based on the Linear Driving Force Model (LDF), governed by an intraparticle diffusion mechanism, notably surface and Knudsen diffusions. In addition, the type V isotherms obtained for H<sub>2</sub>O and the investigated carbon supports were described through the Klotz equation, taking into account the formation and progressive growth of H<sub>2</sub>O clusters within the internal porosity. This methodology allowed us to successfully simulate the H<sub>2</sub>O adsorption by a non-impregnated AC, where only physisorption phenomena are involved. In addition, promising results were highlighted when extrapolating to the two other impregnated ACs (AC 5KI and AC Nuclear).
format Article
id doaj-art-ec24dab7303f4b28bc239e70a7e1dd58
institution DOAJ
issn 2297-8739
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Separations
spelling doaj-art-ec24dab7303f4b28bc239e70a7e1dd582025-08-20T03:12:18ZengMDPI AGSeparations2297-87392025-05-0112512610.3390/separations12050126Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear IndustryFelipe Cabral Borges Martins0Mouheb Chebbi1Céline Monsanglant-Louvet2Bénoit Marcillaud3Audrey Roynette4Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire et de Radioprotection (ASNR), PSN-RES/SCA/LECEV, F-91400 Saclay, FranceAutorité de Sûreté Nucléaire et de Radioprotection (ASNR), PSN-RES/SCA/LECEV, F-91400 Saclay, FranceAutorité de Sûreté Nucléaire et de Radioprotection (ASNR), PSN-RES/SCA/LECEV, F-91400 Saclay, FranceAutorité de Sûreté Nucléaire et de Radioprotection (ASNR), PSN-RES/SCA/LECEV, F-91400 Saclay, FranceAutorité de Sûreté Nucléaire et de Radioprotection (ASNR), PSN-RES/SCA/LECEV, F-91400 Saclay, FranceActivated carbons (ACs) are employed in the nuclear industry to mitigate the emission of potential radioactive iodine species. Their retention performances towards iodine are mainly dependent on the relative humidity due to the competitive effect induced by adsorbed water molecules. Thus, this work will focus on the prediction of AC behavior toward the capture of water vapor to better assess the poisoning effect on radiotoxic iodine removal. For the first time, H<sub>2</sub>O breakthrough curves (BTCs) on nuclear grade ACs are predicted through a specific methodology based on the combination of transport phenomena with adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. Three ACs, similar to those deployed in the nuclear context, are considered within the present study. Our model is based on the Linear Driving Force Model (LDF), governed by an intraparticle diffusion mechanism, notably surface and Knudsen diffusions. In addition, the type V isotherms obtained for H<sub>2</sub>O and the investigated carbon supports were described through the Klotz equation, taking into account the formation and progressive growth of H<sub>2</sub>O clusters within the internal porosity. This methodology allowed us to successfully simulate the H<sub>2</sub>O adsorption by a non-impregnated AC, where only physisorption phenomena are involved. In addition, promising results were highlighted when extrapolating to the two other impregnated ACs (AC 5KI and AC Nuclear).https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/5/126adsorptionbreakthrough curvesequilibriumKlotz equationkineticsLDF model
spellingShingle Felipe Cabral Borges Martins
Mouheb Chebbi
Céline Monsanglant-Louvet
Bénoit Marcillaud
Audrey Roynette
Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry
Separations
adsorption
breakthrough curves
equilibrium
Klotz equation
kinetics
LDF model
title Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry
title_full Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry
title_fullStr Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry
title_full_unstemmed Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry
title_short Simulation of Water Vapor Sorption Profiles on Activated Carbons in the Context of the Nuclear Industry
title_sort simulation of water vapor sorption profiles on activated carbons in the context of the nuclear industry
topic adsorption
breakthrough curves
equilibrium
Klotz equation
kinetics
LDF model
url https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/12/5/126
work_keys_str_mv AT felipecabralborgesmartins simulationofwatervaporsorptionprofilesonactivatedcarbonsinthecontextofthenuclearindustry
AT mouhebchebbi simulationofwatervaporsorptionprofilesonactivatedcarbonsinthecontextofthenuclearindustry
AT celinemonsanglantlouvet simulationofwatervaporsorptionprofilesonactivatedcarbonsinthecontextofthenuclearindustry
AT benoitmarcillaud simulationofwatervaporsorptionprofilesonactivatedcarbonsinthecontextofthenuclearindustry
AT audreyroynette simulationofwatervaporsorptionprofilesonactivatedcarbonsinthecontextofthenuclearindustry