The CE 540 has been specifically designed to enable the complex theoretical principles of adsorption processes to be explained clearly and comprehensibly by means of experimentation.

A compressor draws in ambient air. The air flows through the water bath of a humidifier and thereafter has a relative humidity of 100%. Before the air flows from below into the adsorption column, its relative humidity and temperature are set using a heater. The humid air flows through the adsorbent (silica gel), which is placed as a fixed bed inside a transparent column. The quantity of humidity contained in the air is adsorbed in the process. The adsorbent contains an indicator. The colour of this indicator shows the position of the mass transfer zone (MTZ). The air dried in this way exits the column and flows out into the open.

To regenerate the adsorbent, ambient air is drawn in by a second compressor. The air is heated and flows from above into the column. This desorption process can also be observed through the transparent column. The trainer enables simultaneous investigation of the adsorption and desorption processes. Once the capacity of the adsorbent in one column is exhausted, the humid air is fed through a second column with regenerated adsorbent to dry it.

A circuit system featuring a pump and a refrigeration system is provided to adjust the temperature of the water bath in the humidifier. The temperature and humidity of the air being dried are adjusted by software. The flow rates of the two air flows can be adjusted by valves.

By recording the relative humidities and temperatures at all relevant points, the two processes can be fully balanced. The measured values are recorded by software. The software permits the adsorption and desorption processes to be depicted in a h-ω; diagram and enables breakthrough curves to be plotted.