Gas phase trichloroethylene removal at low concentration using activated carbon fiber.

The breakthrough adsorption behaviors of gas phase trichloroethylene in a packed bed of activated carbon fibers (ACF) were investigated. The specific surface area of the ACF was 600 m2/g, 1400 m2/g and 1600 m2/g, respectively, and the concentration of trichloroethylene ranged from 270 mg/m3 to 2700 mg/m3. Results showed that the capacity of adsorption increased with increasing specific surface area, the relationship between the logarithms of 10% breakthrough time and concentration was approximately linear over the experimental range, the breakthrough time decreased with increasing temperature and humidity. The breakthrough curves at different inlet concentration or different temperature can be predicted by several simple theoretical models with good agreements.