Effect of moisture on adsorption isotherms and adsorption capacities of CO2 on coals

Abstract

The effect of moisture on the adsorption isotherms and adsorption capacities of CO 2 on Argonne Premium coals has been investigated. In some experiments a small hysteresis was observed between the adsorption and desorption isotherms. The hysteresis was absent or negligible for high-rank and as-received coals but was discernible for lower rank and dried coals. An equation that accounted for the volumetric changes when an adsorbate alters the structure of an adsorbent was employed to interpret the data. The best-fit solutions indicate that the coal volume decreases upon drying. The microscopic shrinkage estimated using helium expansion was greater than the shrinkage reported using the bed-height technique. The microscopic shrinkage was 5-10% for low-moisture medium and high-rank coals and up to 40% for low-rank coals having higher moisture contents. The CO 2 swelling of coals during adsorption isotherm measurements was estimated to be about the same as the shrinkage that occurred during the moisture loss. The adsorption capacity, isosteric heat of adsorption, average pore size, and surface area of the as-received (moist) and dried Argonne coals were estimated after accounting for the volume changes. The isosteric heat of adsorption of CO 2 was found to be between 23 and 25 kJ/mol for as-received coals and between 25 and 27 kJ/mol for dried coals, regardless of the rank. The degree of drying was shown to affect the adsorption capacity and the calculated surface area. For dried coals, the adsorption capacity showed the typical 'U-shape' dependence on rank whereas the as-received coals displayed a more linear dependence. A relationship is proposed to quantify the effect of moisture on the adsorption capacity. The mechanism of CO 2 adsorption on moist coals and the implications of the lower adsorption capacity of wet coals to coal seam sequestration of CO 2 are presented.