The Adsorption Isotherms of Methane, Nitrogen, Hydrogen and their Mixtures on Charcoal at 76°K

Abstract

Cryogenic purification systems are an integral part of most helium or hydrogen refrigerators and liquefiers. Although these purification systems utilize many different processes and are tailor-made for the particular operating conditions and feed gas, they generally have one feature in common: the use of a packed bed of adsorbent to remove the final trace quantities of impurity. In spite of the obvious importance of these cryogenic adsorbers, little information is available regarding the equilibrium capacity of an adsorbent for an impurity carried in a hydrogen or helium gas stream. The work reported here is part of a continuing experimental program[^1–6] designed to provide engineers with the equilibrium data necessary for the proper design of cryogenic adsorbers.