©2006, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

Inc. (www.ashrae.org). Published in ASHRAE Transactions, Volume 112, Part 2. For

personal use only. Additional reproduction, distribution, or transmission in either print
or digital form is not permitted without ASHRAE’s prior written permission.
QC-06-039

VOC Removal Performance of

Pellet/Granular-Type Sorbent Media—
Experimental Results
Bing “Beverly” Guo Jianshun S. Zhang, PhD Sunil Nair
Member ASHRAE Student Member ASHRAE
Wenhao Chen James Smith
Student Member ASHRAE

ABSTRACT packing densities are used as filtration media. In some cases

The objectives of this study were to compare the commer-
cially available sorbent materials for removing typical indoor
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to obtain data and
experience that are useful to the development of a standard test
method for sorbent media evaluation. A multichannel stainless
steel air-cleaning technology testing system (ACTTS) was
developed and used to test eleven pellet/granular-type sorbent
media representing different base materials (coal, bituminous
coal, coconut, bamboo wood, and activated aluminas with
potassium permanganate and activated carbon) for seven
VOCs. Tests were conducted for VOCs including hexane,
decane, toluene, tetrachloroethylene, 2-butanone, isobutanol,
and D-limonene. Concentrations versus time during sorption
and desorption periods were obtained. The sorbent media’s
performances were evaluated in terms of removal efficiency
and removal capacity per unit of sorbent weight as a function
of time, the 50% breakthrough time, and the half-life time
removal capacity. In addition, repeatability of the test and the
effect of flow rate on the test results were also investigated. The
challenges of developing a standard test method and procedure
for performance evaluation of pellet/granular-type sorbent
media based on the experiences gained from the study are also
discussed briefly in this paper.
INTRODUCTION
Sorption filtration, which removes gaseous contaminants
from indoor air by adsorption on solid adsorbents, is a tradi-
tional and the most commonly used technology. Most off-the-
shelf air cleaners are based on this technology. Depending on
specific application requirements, adsorbents such as acti-
vated carbon, zeolite, and activated alumina with various
where specific contaminants are targeted, the adsorbents can
also be impregnated with selected chemicals that will react
with target substances (chemisorption) (ASHRAE 1999).
Activated carbon, especially granular activated carbon (GAC),
is the most common media for general indoor gaseous pollut-
ant removal purposes (VanOsdell and Sparks 1995; Henschel
1998). The effectiveness of the air cleaners depends on the
properties and amount of sorbents, the packing (or coating)
density of the sorbent layer, the velocity and flow rate of air
passing through the sorbent media, the properties of the vola-
tile organic compounds (VOCs), and environmental condi-
tions such as relative humidity and temperature. Due to the
saturation effect of adsorbents after long-term use, the
complete evaluation of a sorption type device should include
evaluation of both the initial performance (e.g., by initial
removal efficiencies) and the long-term performance (e.g., by
breakthrough time). Examples of previous such studies
include Axley (1984), Wood and Moyer (1991), Yoon and
Nelson (1992), Wood (1992, 1994), Wood and Stampfer
(1993), VanOsdell (1994), VanOsdell et al. (1995), Zhang et
al. (2000), Scahill (2004), and Chen et al. (2005).
An ideal adsorbent for practical applications in VOC
removal should have the following characteristics (Zhao et
al.1998): (1) a large, accessible pore volume, (2) no catalytic
activity, (3) hydrophobic properties, (4) high thermal and
hydrothermal stability, and (5) ease of regeneration. Design-
ing a sorption-based air-cleaning device generally involves
four steps, as shown in Figure 1.
This study is focused on the second step in evaluating the
performance of pellet/granular-type sorbent media. This type

Bing “Beverly” Guo is a research engineer, Jianshun S. Zhang is a professor, Sunil Nair and Wenhao Chen are graduate research assistants,
and James Smith is a research design engineer, Building Energy and Environmental Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aero-
space Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.

430 ©2006 ASHRAE.

Figure 1 General steps involved in designing a sorption-based air-cleaning device.

of media has also been widely used directly in practice in the measured to determine the following performance parameters
form of packed sorbent bed trays. of sorbent:
In order to improve and optimize the design of sorbent-
Ci – Co
based air-cleaning devices, performance tests for sorbent Removal efficiency, E (%) = ------------------- ⋅ 100
Ci
media need to be conducted for different categories of VOCs
typically found in indoor air. This paper briefly reviews Removal capacity, Cr (weight %) =
sorbent media selection criteria, describes a newly built test t ( Ci ) ( E ) ( MW ) ( Q ) ( 60 min/h )
system for sorbent media, and reports the test results for eleven ∫0 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
6
( 10 ) ( 24.414 ml/mol ) ( W )
dt
sorbent media and seven test VOCs. Analysis included test
repeatability, removal efficiency, removal capacity of where
sorbents, and effect of flow rate on the test results. Ci = inlet challenge gas concentration (ppm) as a
function of time
DESCRIPTION OF SORPTION MEDIA
SELECTED FOR EVALUATION Co = outlet challenge gas concentration (ppm) as a
function of time
The sorbent media selected are 11 products from four
E = removal efficiency as a function of time
manufacturers/suppliers. The selection reflected sorbent
types, intended use, and availability (in the USA and interna- MW = molecular weight of challenge gas
tionally). The sorbent media types for this project included Q = volumetric airflow rate (ml/min)
(1) activated carbon products—coal based, bituminous coal T = time (h)
based, coconut shell based, and bamboo wood based—and
W = media sample weight (g)
(2) activated aluminas with potassium permanganate products
(Table 1). Breakthrough time at 50% removal efficiency: Tb1/2
Half-life removal capacity: Cr1/2, i.e., Cr at t = 1/2 Te
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
where
Principle Te = the time when the outlet concentration approaches
The test method used in this study is the same as that used equilibrium with the inlet concentration (Figure 2).
in VanOsdell and Sparks (1995) and that proposed in
ASHRAE Standard 145.1 (ASHRAE 2005), with some vari- Test System
ations in specific test system setup and test conditions. As An air-cleaning technology test system (ACTTS) was
shown in Figure 2, conditioned air passes through the sorbent developed in this study. The ACTTS resides in a temperature-
bed and VOC concentrations before and after the bed are controlled enclosure that is maintained at a negative pressure

ASHRAE Transactions 431

 Table 1. Summary of Sorbent Media Selected for Testing

Media No. Sorbent Type Specification of Media (Stated by Manufacturer)

Carbon type: pellet
Coal based, high density (allows high volumetric
M1 Activated carbon Moisture (weight %): 5 max
activity), good mechanical strength, low dust content
Ash (weight %): 12 max
Bituminous coal based, has a particle and internal pore
Carbon type: granular size distribution allowing for rapid adsorption kinetics
M2 Activated carbon
Moisture (weight %): 2 max at medium to low differential pressure drop across the
carbon bed; can be reactivated for reuse.
Bituminous coal based, offers maximum adsorption
Carbon type: granular capacity for applications that require minimum carbon
M3 Activated carbon
Moisture (weight %): 2 max bed depth due to space limitations; can be reactivated
for reuse, eliminating disposal.
M4 Activated carbon Coconut based
From coconut shell Moisture: 5%
M5 Activated carbon
Mesh size: 4 × 8 Iodine number (mg/g): 11000 minimum
From bamboo wood Moisture: 5%
M6 Activated carbon
4 mm diameter pellet Iodine number (mg/g): 1100 minimum
From Bituminous coal Moisture: 5%
M7 Activated carbon
Mesh size: 4 × 8 Iodine number (mg/g): 1050 minimum
From selected coal Moisture: 3%
M8 Activated carbon
Mesh size: 6 × 10 Iodine number (mg/g): 1000 minimum
Activated alumi- Activated aluminas with potassium
Purple and black color
nas with potas- permanganate and activated
Bulk density: 0.64 g/cc (40 lb/ft3)
M9 sium carbon (> 32%)
Target: Amine odors, auto exhaust, smoking, cooking
permanganate and Spherical and cylindrical pellets:
odors
activated carbon 1.5–6.4 mm in diameter
Activated alumi- Activated aluminas with potassium
Purple color
nas with potas- permanganate
M10 Bulk density: 0.8 g/cc (50 lb/ft3)
sium Spherical pellets: 1.5–6.4 mm in
Target: Aldehydes, amines, ethylene
permanganate diameter
Cylindrical pellets: 4 mm in
M11 Activated carbon diameter Target: Hydrocarbons, VOCs, nitrogen dioxide
Bulk density: 0.48 g/cc (40 lb/ft3)

Figure 2 Schematic of the test principle.

432 ASHRAE Transactions

to prevent any contamination to the lab space in case of any holder. The range of control for each channel is 0–30 LPM.
system leaks (see Figure 3). The ACTTS has 12 different chan- The controlled flow passes through the specimen chamber
nels for concurrent testing of different adsorbent materials for (and test media if installed), a sampling T-connector, and then
a single VOC. A typical test may take more than 12 hours. By the exhaust manifold. Sampling valves are used as a multi-
increasing the number of test samples per test, we can reduce
the total time required and enable concurrent tests of different
materials under exactly the same inlet concentration condi-
tions. As shown in Figure 4, the system uses compressed air
from the lab (i.e., “house air”), which splits into two channels,
one for the primary air (with pressure controlled at 15–20 psi)
and the other for the VOC generator (with pressure controlled
at 5–10 psi). To control the humidity of the primary air, an
impinger was constructed. Air is directed by a three-way valve
to achieve the appropriate flow rate between the impinger and
bypass line using a PID controller that takes signals from a
humidity sensor located at the exhaust manifold of the system.
The primary air is then passed to the heat exchanger. This is
used to stabilize the air temperature to the desired setpoint and
as a volumetric storage vessel, which provides thermally
conditioned air to merge with the VOC generation air and to
purge the VOC sampling line. Each of the 12 test channels
consists of a mass flow controller, specimen chamber (i.e., test
media holder), and a sampling valve. The mass flow controller
controls the flow of the mixed air through the test media Figure 3 ACTTS overview.

Figure 4 Schematic of the ACTTS.

ASHRAE Transactions 433

plexer (switching valves) for the test equipment. The valves
are timed to open and close at specified intervals, allowing the
equipment to sample the air from the T-connectors in
sequence. In addition, a thirteenth valve has been added to
provide a clean-air purge for the common sampling line and
the measurement device. This purge takes place between
sampling of two adjacent channels. A VOC monitor (e.g.,
ppbRAE or miniRAE) is connected to the sample port from
the multiplexer (i.e., the common sampling line connected to
the switching valves). It has a sampling pump that operates
continuously and measures the VOC concentrations at a
predefined interval (minimum every five seconds). A typical
sampling sequence is as follows:
a. Open the purge valve and close the sampling valves for
the 12 test channels; sample for a pre-selected time inter-
val (e.g., 1 min).
b. Open the sampling valve for channel 1 and close the rest
of the valves; sample for a pre-selected time interval
(e.g., 1 min).
c. Open the purge valve and close all sampling valves for
the 12 test channels; sample for a pre-selected time inter-
val (e.g., 1 min).
d. Open the sampling valve for channel 2 and close the rest
of the valves; sample for a pre-selected time interval
(e.g., 1 min).
e. Open the purge valve and close all sampling valves for
the 12 test channels; sample for a pre-selected time inter-
val (e.g., 1 min).
f. Continue for the rest of the channels, then repeat the
sequence until the completion of the test.
The entire ACTTS is constructed of stainless steel to
minimize the sorption effect by the material itself. The control
accuracy of the system is measured to be 23°C ± 1°C in
temperature, 45% ± 5% RH in relative humidity, 28.3 ±
0.02 L/min in flow rate, and ±8% in VOC concentration.
Figure 5 Effect of flow rate on the removal efficiency and capacity: toluene tests.
434
For the present project, we used six channels of the
ACTTS, including one channel as a VOC reference for moni-
toring the inlet concentration. As a result, five sorbent media
were tested in each run of the experiments.
VOC Generation
A VOC generation device was developed in-house based
on the bubbling method. The flow control for the air passing
through the pure VOC liquid is via a mass flow control-
ler (0 –5 LPM). Based on the theoretical calculation and exper-
imental experiences, one can set the flow rate ratio between
bubbling air and the primary air to generate a certain VOC
concentration at the inlet flow. As shown in Figure 5, the
primary air and the VOC generation air first pass through the
“filter system” where moisture, particulates (down to
0.3 micron), and VOCs (< 10 ppb) are removed. The VOC
generation air is not conditioned because it is only a small frac-
tion of the primary air (< 0.5%). It passes through an impinger
containing a liquid test VOC of interest and then merges with
the thermally conditioned primary air into the manifold, which
provides a good mixing and a uniform concentration of a
single test VOC to all channels.
Instrumentation for Sampling and Analysis
A continuous VOC monitor was used for real-time
measurements of the concentrations at the outlet of each of the
six channels and the purge air at one-minute intervals. The
VOC monitor uses photo-ionization detector (PID) technol-
ogy. Air samples are continuously drawn in front of an ultra-
violet lamp, which ionizes the VOC molecules to positive and
negative ions, which are in turn counted by the detector. It has
a measuring range of 100 ppb to 10,000 ppm with an accuracy
of about 50 ppb or 5% of the reading, whichever is smaller.
Data intervals for the VOC monitor can be set as low as five
ASHRAE Transactions
seconds. A C++ program was written and used to process the
raw data and separate the test data from different channels.
Test Conditions
Test conditions recommended by ASHRAE (2005) were
used in this study: media bed depth, 25 ± 1 mm; diameter,
48 ± 1 mm; media weight, 18 ± 3 g; RH, 45% ± 5%; temper-
ature, 23°C ± 2°C; and flow rate, 1 cfm (28.3 L/min). The test
airflow rate resulted in a residence time of 0.1 second, based
on the following equations:
tr = d/v and v = Q/A ,
where
tr = residence time (s)
d = media depth (mm)
v = superficial velocity through the bed (mm/s)
Q = volumetric flow rate (mm3/s)
A = cross-sectional area of the sorbent bed (mm2)
(A = 1/4πD2)
Test Specimen Holder
The media holder is made of stainless steel. Figure 6
shows the detailed layout and dimensions. Figure 7 is a
snapshot taken during the preparation of the sorbent bed for
a test run.
Test Procedure
The following procedure was used for each test:
1. For safety precautions, review the material safety data
sheet (MSDS) of the test VOC in the lab. Make sure the
fume hood and exhaust fan are operational to prevent acci-
dental discharge of VOCs. Check all regulators, valves,
and tubing to ensure no leakages before each test. Make
sure the ACTTS is under negative pressure (10–30 Pa)
relative to the lab space.
Figure 6 Schematic of sorbent media holder.
ASHRAE Transactions
2. For test preparation, calibrate the apparatus. Set up proper
sampling intervals. Ensure that the humidifier works.
Prepare and fill the VOC liquid generation container.
Prepare the record sheet. To prepare the specimen, weigh
about 18 ± 3 g of each sorption media, settled in place
(about 25 mm depth), measure pressure drops across the
packed media holders, and precondition the media bed in
the system for 30–40 min in order to reach the equilibrium.
3. During the test period, continue to monitor the supply clean
air at the preset point (28.3 LPM per channel), the humidity
level, and the VOC passing flow rate. Run the sorption test
until the VOC monitor reaches 99% breakthrough for each
channel, then turn off the VOC generator to run the desorp-
tion test for more than 12 hours, until the VOC monitor
reading reaches a steady-state level that is significantly
lower than the inlet concentration.
4. After the test is completed, download the data. Process the
data using a C++ program, and conduct analysis using
Excel. Clean the specimen hold and VOC generator, and
flush the ACTTS.
Test VOCs
Over 300 VOCs have been found indoors, and all of these
compounds may not be of equal importance in a single envi-
ronment. Seven VOCs (see Table 2) were chosen for this study,
covering the major chemical categories and a wide range of
molecular weights and boiling points. The choice of the inlet/
reference concentrations for testing proved to be a problem.
While it would be more realistic to use a ppb level (e.g., 5–
50 ppb) typical of an indoor environment, it would take too
long to measure the breakthrough of the media bed. An alter-
native is to use less sorbent in a thinner test bed, but it was diffi-
cult to obtain good consistency in sorbent bed preparation for
the media tested due to the relatively large particle sizes of the
sorbent (as large as 6.5 mm in diameter). If only small sorbent
Figure 7 Preparation of sorbent media bed.
435
 Table 2. Test VOCs and Their Properties

Chemical Chemical Molecular VP at 25°C ASHRAE Ci

MW BP (°C)
Category Name Formula (mm Hg) Std. 145.1P* (ppm)
Alkane n-Hexane C6H14 86.2 69 151 X 40
Alkane n-Decane C10H22 142.3 174 1.25 34
Aromatic Toluene C7H8 92.1 111 25.64 X 32,36, 38
Chlorocarbon Tetrachloroethylene C2Cl4 165.8 121 18.6 X 42
Ketone 2-Butanone C4H8O 72.1 80 86.95 X 78
Alcohol Isobutanol C4H10O 74.1 108 9 X 58
Terpene d-Limonene C10H16 136.2 177 1.98 17
*
“X” indicates that the compound belongs to the VOC challenge group of ASHRAE Standard 145.1P (ASHRAE 2005).

particles (e.g., < 2 mm) are tested, a thinner sorbent test bed
might be used.
Therefore, in this study, we followed the ASHRAE
(2005) guide to conduct the tests under relatively high concen-
tration levels (10–100 ppm) for the purpose of comparing the
performances of different sorbents under laboratory condi-
tions and for validating the proposed ASHRAE standard
(ASHRAE 2005). However, it should be noted that adsorption
characteristics may differ between low (ppb) and high (ppm)
concentration levels. In general, at low concentrations there
are sufficient adsorption sites for adsorbates (VOCs), and
competitions among molecules for adsorption sites may be
neglected. The Henry Law for the adsorption isotherm would
apply. At high concentrations, the increased number of mole-
cules in the gas phase would compete for the adsorption sites.
A more complex isotherm model, such as the BET or Dubinin-
Radushkevich (D-R) equations, would apply. The D-R equa-
tion has generally been considered the most acceptable for
activated carbons at high concentrations (Axley 1984). Data
are currently lacking to determine whether it can be extended
to low concentration levels typically found indoors. In the next
phase of this research, we plan to conduct long-term testing
under low VOC concentrations and develop/validate a method
for extrapolating the high concentration laboratory test results
to predict the performance under low concentrations typically
encountered in indoor air.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
As examples, Figure 8 shows the measured data for five
sorbent media tested (M1, M2, M3, M4, and M11). It had been
difficult to set the inlet concentrations at the predetermined
exact level. The inlet concentrations had been allowed to differ
among the different VOCs as long as they were within the
range of 10 to 100 ppm. This is considered short-term “ppm”
level testing for the purpose of comparing different sorbent
media, as opposed to “ppb” level testing, which is more real-
istic for field application but can take much longer to
complete. The inlet concentrations were stable overall in these
tests but had some small fluctuations during the entire test
period, especially at the beginning of a test. To minimize the
effect of the initial fluctuations on the calculation of the equi-
librium gas-phase concentration, the time average of the
measured concentrations during the last 12 hours before the
start of the desorption period were used as the equilibrium (or
“nominal”) inlet concentration in normalizing all the
measured concentrations, as presented Figure 8.
Figure 8 shows that the normalized outlet concentrations
over time had a similar pattern among different tests: they
increased over time and eventually reached equilibrium with
the inlet concentration. The rate of increase in the outlet
concentration and the time to reach the equilibrium condition
were, however, different for different sorbent media in the
same test (i.e., for the same test VOC), which differentiates the
sorption characteristics of different sorbent media. For some
media and VOCs tested, a small breakthrough was also
observed at the very beginning of the test (i.e., at t = 0). The
desorption period was started by stopping the injection of
VOC to the inlet when all the sorbent channels reached the
equilibrium condition. It is clear from the measured results
(Figure 8) that a certain amount of VOCs were desorbed.
Repeatability
Some repeat tests were conducted for the same sorbent
media (#2) with toluene to examine how repeatable the results
are among the different channels of the same test and between
tests (Figure 9). For the same test (channel #3 vs channel #1 in
the “5-10-05” test), where the inlet concentration and environ-
mental conditions were identical and media weight differed by
only 2.3% (19.03 vs. 18.6 g), an excellent repeatability in the
concentration trajectory was observed (Figure 9). However,
some differences were observed between the different tests
due to differences in inlet concentrations and media weight.
The time needed for the outlet concentration to approach the
inlet concentration was longer for a lower inlet concentration
and a higher media weight, as expected.
Removal Efficiency and Removal Capacity
The performance of the 11 test media for removing tolu-
ene can be quantified from the calculated removal efficiencies

436 ASHRAE Transactions

Figure 8 Test results for media #1, #2, #3, #4, and #11.

ASHRAE Transactions 437

Figure 9 Repeatability test results for Media #2 on toluene. Figure 10 Removal efficiency of 11 sorbent media for
toluene.

and removal capacity over time (Figures 10 and 11, respec-

tively). Medium #10 (activated aluminas with potassium
permanganate) had zero efficiency from the beginning and
zero removal capacity, which might be expected since it was
formulated for removing aldehydes, amines, and ethylene
(Table 1). Medium #9 (activated aluminas with potassium
permanganate and activated carbon) had relatively low
removal efficiency and removal capacity, most likely due to
the small amount of activated carbon in the media. Media #1
through #8 and #11 are activated carbon-based and had rela-
tively higher removal efficiencies and capacities than
medium #9. However, their rates of change over time were
different. For example, medium #6 had relatively high effi-
ciency during the first two hours, but the efficiency dropped Figure 11 Removal capacity of the 11 sorbent media for
quickly, resulting in a much lower removal capacity per unit toluene.
weight of sorbent media in comparison to the other activated
carbon-based media.
that the removal efficiencies at the half-life times (Table 4)
Breakthrough Time at 50% Removal Efficiency, Tb1/2 were all within the range of 41% to 54%—an indication of
Table 3 shows the values for five selected activated some similarity in the breakthrough curves for the five sorbent
carbon-based sorbent media. Medium #2 had the highest media. The removal capacities per media weight (Table 5),
values for three of the seven VOCs tested, but the other media however, varied significantly among the different media,
also had the longest breakthrough times for one of the VOCs, which is thus a more sensitive parameter for comparing the
indicating that there is potential to select sorbent media based performance of different sorbent media.
on the target VOC of interest in optimizing an air-cleaning
product. The data also show a general trend that the break- Effect of Flow Rate
through time was short for a higher inlet concentration, At a lower flow rate, the removal efficiency was higher,
regardless of the VOC tested. The only exception was and the breakthrough time was longer for the same sorbent
medium #4, n-hexane, which had a longer breakthrough time media, as expected (see Figure 5). The removal capacity per
than the n-decane medium, although the inlet concentration unit of media weight also increased much more slowly at the
for the n-hexane test was higher than in the n-decane test. lower flow rate. The flow rate through the sorbent media, in
addition to the inlet concentration levels, is apparently a major
Removal Efficiency and Capacity at Half-Life Time design parameter for an air cleaner.
If we define the time at which the outlet concentration
Challenges in Standardizing the Test Method
reaches 99% of the inlet concentration as the lifetime of the
media, the removal efficiency and capacity at the half-life time One of the challenges of this study was to generate an inlet
can be calculated (see Tables 4 and 5). It is interesting to note VOC concentration at a specified value in different experi-

438 ASHRAE Transactions

 Table 3. Breakthrough Time at 50% Removal Efficiency (Tb1/2, hour) for Five Selected Media

Ci Media†
VOC Name*
(ppm) M1 M2 M3 M4 M11
n-hexane 40 10.85 19.90 10.95 24.50 14.95
2-butanone 78 4.85 5.50 3.75 4.10 4.45
toluene 36 12.13 8.67 9.7 11.73 8.87
tetrachloroethylene 36 16.55 20.80 13.05 19.70 14.95
isobutanol 58 9.30 12.40 5.85 8.90 3.55
D-limonene 17 44.55 38.8 46.95 38.6 33.85
n-decane 34 21.05 24.4 22.95 18.2 26
*
VOC names are listed in the order of decreasing vapor pressure.
†
A bolded number represents the maximum Tb1/2 for the VOC in the corresponding row.

Table 4. Half-Life Time* Removal Efficiency (Er, % at t =1/2Te) for Selected 5 Media

Individual VOC Removal Efficiency (Er, %), 1 cfm, RH = 45%

VOC Name†
M1 M2 M3 M4 M11
n-hexane 46.8% 45.7% 49.1% 46.5% 47.9%
2-butanone 50.7% 47.6% 51.2% 50.5% 48.7%
toluene 43.6% 49.6% 43.7% 41.4% 53.7%
tetrachloroethylene 50.3% 50.6% 50.8% 50.3% 50.6%
isobutanol 51% 53.3% 52.8% 50.1% 53.5%
D-limonene 50.4% 49.7% 50.4% 51% 49.9%
n-decane 49.9% 49% 51.1% 50.2% 50.8%
*
Half-life time = half of the time before reaching 99% breakthrough.
†
VOC names are listed in the order of decreasing vapor pressure.

Table 5. Half-Life Time Removal Capacity (Cr, % of Media Weight at t =Te/2)

Individual VOC Removal Capacity (Cr, % of media weight), 1 cfm, RH = 45%

VOC Name*
M1 M2 M3 M4 M11
n-hexane 30.34% 62.28% 44.59% 82.62% 42.52%
2-butanone 22.35% 27.83% 28.35% 22.44% 19.05%
toluene 39.32% 37.6% 53.07% 50.96% 35.12%
tetrachloroethylene 96.86% 130.3% 115.28% 140.1% 86.14%
isobutanol 32.15% 47.54% 29.16% 45.51% 11.22%
D-limonene 82.75% 79.55% 102.6% 79.34% 63%
n-decane 98.6% 130.9% 177.96% 112.28% 119.79%
*
VOC names are listed in the order of decreasing vapor pressure.

mental runs, especially for different VOCs. To compare the
performance of different sorbent media, it is therefore more
convenient to conduct tests in a multi-channel system in which
different sorbent media can be evaluated under exactly the
same inlet concentration levels.
A mechanistic model is needed to extrapolate test results
conducted at one concentration level to a different reference
concentration level for all different VOCs of interest so that the
performance of a sorbent media for different VOCs can be
better distinguished. This is a topic that will be addressed in a
companion modeling paper (Nair et al. 2006).

ASHRAE Transactions 439

 Another challenge was to determine whether the test
results obtained at the ppm-level inlet concentration can be
used for predicting the performance of the sorbent media at the
ppb level, which is more typical in the indoor environment.
Again, a mechanistic model is needed for such extrapolations.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
A multichannel air-cleaning technology test system
(ACTTS) was developed and used to evaluate the performance
of eleven sorbent media for removing seven VOCs that are
often found in the indoor environment. Tests were conducted
according to a procedure that is similar to that in the proposed
ASHRAE Standard 145.1P (ASHRAE 2005) for sorbent
media comparisons. The following conclusions may be drawn
from this study:
1. The test procedure is capable of distinguishing the perfor-
mance of different sorbent media in terms of removal effi-
ciency and removal capacity as a function of time.
2. There is potential to optimize the sorbent media selection in
designing an air-cleaning device for target VOCs since the
test results showed that each of the five selected media
performed best for at least one of the VOCs tested.
3. A multichannel sorbent media testing system is more
convenient for testing different sorbent media under exactly
the same inlet concentration levels since it is difficult to
maintain identical inlet concentrations between different
experimental runs, especially for different test VOCs.
A mechanistic model for sorbent beds is needed for better
evaluating a sorbent media’s performance in removing different
VOCs and for possible extrapolation of test results at ppm levels
to ppb levels typical of indoor environmental conditions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are grateful for the financial support from
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Xerox Corporation, Xerox Foundation, and Syracuse Center
of Excellence in Energy and Environmental Systems.
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