Gas Absorption Problems and Solutions

3. A packed column with 2 inch raschig rings has the following average flow conditions:

Gas Liquid

Molar flow (lbmol/hr) 80 40

Density (lb/ft3) 0.3 65

MM (lb/lbmol) 100 150

Viscosity (cP) --- 1.6

If the gas flooding velocity is 0.43 lb/ft2 s, what is the actual gas velocity based in a gas
velocity at 50% the flooding velocity? Determine the column diameter based on actual
velocity.

Given:

𝐺𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 0.43 𝑙𝑏⁄𝑓𝑡 2 𝑠

𝑛̇ 𝑔𝑎𝑠 = 80 𝑙𝑏𝑚𝑜𝑙⁄ℎ

𝜌𝑔𝑎𝑠 = 0.3 𝑙𝑏⁄𝑓𝑡 3

𝑀𝑊𝑔𝑎𝑠 = 100 𝑙𝑏⁄𝑙𝑏𝑚𝑜𝑙

Required:
𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
 𝐷𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛
Solution:
𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 0.50𝐺𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔

𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 0.50 (0.43 𝑙𝑏⁄𝑓𝑡 2 𝑠)

𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 0.215 𝑙𝑏⁄𝑓𝑡 2 𝑠

Let Q=volumetric flow rate

𝑄
𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 =
𝐴
𝑄
𝐴=
𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
𝜋 2 𝑄
𝐷 =
4 𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
 4𝑄
𝐷=√
𝜋𝐺𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙

𝑙𝑏𝑚𝑜𝑙 1ℎ𝑟
4(80 ⁄ℎ𝑟) ( ) (100 𝑙𝑏⁄𝑙𝑏𝑚𝑜𝑙 )
𝐷=√ 3600 𝑠
𝜋 (0.215 𝑙𝑏⁄ 2 )
𝑓𝑡 𝑠

𝐷 = 3.63 𝑓𝑡
A gas stream containing 3.0% A is passed
through a packed column to remove
99% of the A by absorption in water. The
absorber will operate at 25 oC and 1 atm,
and the gas and liquid rates are to be 20
mol/h ft2 and 100 mol/h ft2, respectively.
Mass transfer coefficients and
equilibrium data are given below:
y*=3.1 x at 25 oC
kx=60 mol/hr ft3 unit mol frxn
ky=15 mol/hr ft3 unit mol frxn
a. Find NOG, HOG and ZT, assuming
isothermal operation and neglecting
changes in gas and liquid flow rates.
b. Calculate ZT using NOL and HOL

Solution:
Assume xa = 0
(20)(0.03)(0.99)
𝑥𝑏 = = 0.00594
100
𝑦𝑏∗ = (3.1)(0.0054) = 0.01841
At the bottom of the column:
𝑦𝑏 − 𝑦𝑏∗ = 0.03 − 0.01841 = 0.01159
At the top,
𝑦𝑎 − 𝑦𝑎∗ = 𝑦𝑎 = 0.0003
Then,
(0.01159) − (0.0003)
̅̅̅̅̅𝐿 =
∆𝑦
𝑙𝑛((0.01159)⁄(0.0003))
̅̅̅̅̅
∆𝑦𝐿 = 0.00309
∆𝑦 (0.03)(0.99)
𝑁𝑂𝐺 = = = 9.61
∆𝑦𝐿 (0.00309)
1 1 3.1
= + = 0.11833
𝐾𝑦 15 60
𝐾𝑦 = 8.45
20
𝐻𝑂𝐺 = = 2.37 𝑓𝑡
8.45
𝑍𝑇 = (2.37)(9.61) = 22.7 𝑓𝑡
(b) At the bottom of the column

∗
0.03
𝑥 = = 0.009677
3.1
∆𝑥 = (0.009677) − (0.00594)
= 0.003737
At the top,

∗
0.0003
𝑥 = = 9.677𝑥10−5
3.1
𝑥=0
(0.00374) − (0.000097)
̅̅̅̅̅
∆𝑥𝐿 =
(0.00374)
𝑙𝑛 [ ⁄(0.000097)]
̅̅̅̅̅
∆𝑥𝐿 = 9.96𝑥10−4
0.00594
𝑁𝑂𝐿 = −4
= 5.96
9.96𝑥10
 1 1 1
= + = 0.03817
𝐾𝑥 60 (3.1)(15)
𝐾𝑥 = 26.2
100
𝐻𝑂𝐿 = = 3.817 𝑓𝑡
26.2
𝑍𝑇 = 5.96𝑥3.817 = 22.7 𝑓𝑡
The equilibrium data for a certain
absorption maybe represented by the
equation y=5.1x2 where y is kmol of
gaseous absorbable material per
kilomole of inert gas and x is kilomole of
dissolved absorbable material per
kilomole of inert liquid. The unit is
operated as continuous countercurrent
absorption. The entering gas contain 5
moles of absorbable material per 20
moles of inert gas. The liquid mixture
enters the column as a pure material.
Determine the minimum molal ratio of
the liquid to gas if the gases leaving the
tower contain 1 mole absorbable
material per 50 mole of inert gas.
Required:
𝐿′
( )
𝑉′ 𝑚𝑖𝑛
Solution:
1
𝑦2 = 𝑥2 = 0
50
 5
𝑦1 =
20
Equilibrium curve:
𝑦 = 0.51𝑥 2
5
( ) = 0.51𝑥 2
20
𝑥 = 0.2214
𝐿′ 𝑦1 − 𝑦2
( ) = ∗
𝑉′ 𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑥1 − 𝑥2
5 1
( )−( )
= 20 50
(0.2214) − 0
 𝐿′
( ) = 1.041
𝑉′ 𝑚𝑖𝑛
An air-NH3 mixture with 20 mol% NH3 is
to be scrubbed with water at 30oC and 1
atm. The equipment to be used has an
efficiency of 99%. Determine the final
concentration of NH3 in the outgoing
gaseous stream. What is the maximum
possible solubility of NH3 in water at this
condition.
Solution:
0.20
𝑦1 = = 0.25
1 − 0.20
For 99% removal:
𝑦2 = 0.01𝑦1
 = 0.01(0.25)
𝑦2 = 0.0025

From solubility data (T2-123 PCEH 7th ed)

𝑤𝑡 𝑁𝐻3
= 13.04
100 𝑤𝑡 𝐻2 𝑂
13.04⁄
𝑥∗ = 17
13.04⁄ + 100⁄
17 18
𝑥 ∗ = 0.121