The comparison of desorption rates of adsorbed C2H4/C2H6 during microwave heating and conductive heating is shown in
Fig. 2(c). Although net power requirement is higher for conductive heating, the desorption rate is higher for microwave heating. During microwave regeneration, desorption starts immediately and reaches a maximum rate of 79 mL/min (3.25 mmol/min) within 1 min. The rate decreases to 3 mL/min as the temperature stabilizes at 190 1C. In conductive heating on the other hand, desorption starts within the 1st minute and reaches a maximumrate of 20 mL/min (0.82 mmol/min) during the 2nd minute of heating and maintains it up to the 10th minute. Then the rate decreases as the power decreases until the temperature stabilizes at 190 1C at which point the rate remains at 1 mL/min. Fig. 2 illustrates that microwave heating performs better and quicker
than conductive heating in terms of heating rate, net energy
consumption and gas desorption rate for adsorptive separation of
C2H4/C2H6.