Masoud Mofarahi

The hydrogen separation of a novel layered-bed configuration comprising Cu-BTC and zeolite 13X was assessed via two-layered-bed pressure swing adsorption (PSA) in six steps. A comprehensive mathematical model, incorporating mass, momentum, and energy balances as well as kinetic terms, was developed to simulate the PSA process. To evaluate the performance of Cu-BTC relative to that of conventional adsorbents, a comparative study was conducted using activated carbon followed by a zeolite 13X adsorption column. Cu-BTC was synthesized by a solvothermal method and characterized using standard techniques. Adsorption isotherms and kinetic parameters were experimentally determined for H2, CH4, N2, CO, and CO2 on Cu-BTC and zeolite 13X. The simulation results demonstrated that the Cu-BTC-based layered bed significantly outperformed an activated carbon system. By positioning Cu-BTC as the initial layer, hydrogen purity was enhanced from 86.95 % to 99.59 %, whereas the recovery increased from 68.2 % to 73.2 %. These findings highlight the superior hydrogen adsorption capacity and selectivity of Cu-BTC, making it a promising candidate for advanced hydrogen purification applications.