Optimization and comparison of multi-beds PSA technology for separation of carbon dioxide mixtures by processes simulations

Abstract

Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) demonstrates significant potential for post-combustion CO₂ capture from coal-fired flue gas (15 % CO₂/85 % N₂). This study systematically investigates two-bed, four-bed, and six-bed structural configurations of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) systems to elucidate the purity-recovery trade-off relationship. The six-bed process, incorporating triple pressure equalization steps, achieves the breakthrough performance of 92.7 % CO₂ purity and 92.4 % recovery under industrially feasible conditions (10 bar adsorption pressure, 40 s cycle time), surpassing conventional two-bed systems where neither metric exceeds 90 %. While the four-bed configuration attains ultra-high purity (∼99 % CO₂), its scalability in recovery remains constrained. Rigorous optimization of operational parameters (adsorption pressure, cycle time, bed aspect ratio) balances energy efficiency and separation performance. Results highlight multi-bed PSA, particularly the six-bed system, as a scalable solution for industrial CO₂ capture, effectively bridging the gap between high-purity benchmarks and practical recovery targets.