Adsorption characteristics of silica gel + water systems

Abstract

The adsorption characteristics of pure water vapor onto two different types of silica gel at temperatures from (298 to 338) K and at different equilibrium pressures between (500 and 7000) Pa were experimentally studied by a volumetric technique. The thermophysical properties such as the skeletal density, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, pore size, pore volume, and total porosity of silica gel were determined. The Tóth isotherm model is found to fit all of the experimental data within the experimental errors. The experimental isotherms and the computed enthalpies of adsorption are compared with those of various researchers and found to be consistent with a chiller manufacturer's data.