Adsorption is one of the most difficult separation processes

to teach since it is rate-based, which requires a mass transfer

analysis, and is usually operated as a time dependent process.
As a result, adsorption with very simple isotherms, such as
an irreversible isotherm, has been analyzed in most separation texts.[3, 4] After
we introduced the concept of adsorption
isotherms and a breakthrough curve in fixed-bed adsorption,
we used MATLAB to develop a numerical model for ratebased, time-dependent
adsorption processes such as thermal
swing adsorption. In thermal swing adsorption, one bed is
adsorbing the solute at ambient temperature, while the oth