2008 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 95-101
Oxidative removal of a low concentration of CO from hydrogen was studied using a simulated moving bed reactor (SMBR) with 1wt% Pt/Al2O3 as a catalyst and adsorbent. Compared with an ordinary fixed bed reactor (FBR), SMBR showed higher CO removal when the ratio of the CO introduction rate to the active site moving rate (mCO) was smaller than 1. The presence of H2 enhanced the CO oxidation performance of FBR, whereas it barely affected the performance of SMBR. Effects of mCO, ratio of O2 introduction rate to active site moving rate (mO2), H2 concentration and O2 concentration on CO removal and COx concentration in H2 at the outlet of SMBR were investigated experimentally. The most important factor in order to enhance the CO removal was mCO: CO was not detected at the outlets when mCO was smaller than 1. The most important factor in order to enhance the COx concentration in H2 at the outlet was mO2: CO2-free H2 was obtained when mO2 was larger than 1. H2 concentration did not affect either the CO removal or the COx concentration in H2 at the outlet. O2 concentration affected mCO and mO2, which in turn influenced the CO removal and COx concentration in H2 at the outlet.
