Adsorption thermodynamics for process modelling

The Adsorption Group at the University of Edinburgh is pleased to invite the International Adsorption Community to the Advanced Adsorption Course as part of the Adsorption Research Industrial Consortium (ARIC).

The course will take place in Edinburgh (UK) on February 17-19, 2026.

This Advanced Course is aimed at PhD students, Researchers and Industrialists willing to gain a deeper insight of the fundamental aspects of adsorption thermodynamics for process modelling. It is based on over 30 years of experience in this field and is structured as an intensive 3-day programme including formal lectures, discussion periods and numerical tutorials focusing on thermodynamically consistent adsorption isotherms and models. The course will cover fundamental theory and practical guidelines for the most common experimental techniques.

The first day will introduce the definition of the different adsorbed amounts and how to interpret experimental data in model regression. Examples will be used to show that the same data can be regressed either with empirical unconstrained fits or imposing thermodynamic consistency. The second day will extend the discussion to the different thermodynamic approaches to describe multicomponent systems, including multisite Langmuir models, ideal and real adsorbed solution theory and vacancy solution theory. Thermodynamic consistency of experimental data and models will be discussed. The final day will be devoted to special topics including adsorption azeotropy, adsorption in systems with structural change, the rigid adsorbent lattice fluid model and thermodynamic relationships needed in kinetic models. 

The course builds on the introductory material of the Edinburgh Erlangen School of Adsorption and provides a deep dive into more advanced topics based on more than 30 years of experience. It will include a short review of classical thermodynamics of fluid phase equilibria so that the material presented is self-contained and analogies between vapour-liquid equilibria and adsorption equilibria can be understood by all participants.

Organisers

Stefano Brandani and Enzo Mangano

Guest Lecturer

Dr Peter Ravikovitch (ExxonMobil)

General Course Information

Dates: 17 - 19 February 2026

Preliminary schedule of activities:

Registration and fees

ARIC members (up to 3 delegates per company) are granted free participation to the course (Register your interest here)

The registration is now open. Please register here 

Early bird registration deadline: 09 Janyuary 2026

Registration fees include lunch and coffee, the course dinner.

There is a maximum number of participants, an early registration is recommended.

Venue:

The University of Edinburgh, School of Engineering, Mayfield Road, EH9 3FB, Edinburgh (Google Maps)

ARIC Industrial Partners:

The CarboTech Group is one of the world's leading full-service providers of high-quality powdered, granulated and extruded activated carbons. At our production site in the heart of the Ruhr region, we manufacture, refine and package activated carbons, activated coke and carbon molecular sieves from hard coal, coconut shell carbon and charcoal. As the market leader with over 60 years of experience in the reactivation and use of activated carbon for a wide range of applications, we are always the competent solution provider for our customers.This includes not only the selection of the right activated carbon, but also our comprehensive 360° service package, from which our customers can individually select the components they need. Our service principle for our customers is: everything from a single source – everything as simple as possible.

Air Liquide is a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare. Present in 60 countries with approximately 66,500 employees.