Investigation of an Adsorptive Indigo Carmine Dye Removal via Packed Bed Column: Experiments and Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

In this study, the experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulationswere carried out to determine the removal efficiency of the indigo carmine dye from wastewater via graphene nanoadsorbent. The adsorption process was done in a packed bed column. The synthesized nanoporous graphene via chemical vapor deposition method was characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, scanning microscopy and X-ray Diffraction techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted, and Langmuir isotherm was best fitted to the experimental data. A parallel series of fixed bed column adsorption and desorption tests was done. The breakthrough curves were investigated by varying indigo carmine dye solution flow rate (1–10 ml/min), indigo carmine dye solution concentration (10–100 ppm) and adsorbent bed depth (10–28 cm). The reusability of adsorbent was studied. The computational fluid dynamics simulation was used for the three-dimensionally simulation of flow patterns and dye concentration changes in the packed bed column throughout the adsorption. High bed depth, low flow rate and high initial dye concentration were recommended to be the potential parameters for the high adsorption capacity. The conformity of the experimental test with the computational fluid dynamic calculations was a suitable methodology method to prove the reliability of the dye adsorption process. The removal efficiency of indigo carmine dye was achieved to be 67% as flow rate, bed depth, and concentration of 1 ml/min, 28 cm and 10 ppm, respectively.