Absorption of Gases PDF

Mass Transfer (ChE - 392)
3-Absorption of Gases
Saeed GUL, Dr.Techn, M.Sc. Engg.

Associate Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering,

University of Engineering & Technology Peshawar, PAKISTAN
Introduction
The removal of one or more selected components from a
mixture of gases by absorption into a suitable liquid is the
second major operation of chemical engineering that is based
on interphase mass transfer controlled largely by rates of
diffusion
Acetone can be recovered from an acetone–air mixture by
passing the gas stream into water in which the acetone
dissolves while the air passes out.
Similarly, ammonia may be removed from an ammonia–air
mixture by absorption in water.
In each of these examples the process of absorption of the gas
in the liquid may be treated as a physical process, the
chemical reaction having no appreciable effect
7 December 2015 2
Dr. Saeed GUL, Department of Chemical Engineering, UET Peshawar, Pakistan
Introduction
When oxides of nitrogen are absorbed in water to give nitric
acid, or when carbon dioxide is absorbed in a solution of sodium
hydroxide, a chemical reaction occurs, the nature of which
influences the actual rate of absorption.
Absorption processes are therefore conveniently divided into

two groups:
 those in which the process is solely physical
 those where a chemical reaction is occurring
7 December 2015 3
In absorption:
the feed is a gas introduced
at the bottom of the column
solvent is fed to the top, as a
liquid;
the absorbed gas and
solvent leave at the bottom,
the unabsorbed components
leave as gas from the top.
7 December 2015 4
Gas Absorption vs Distillation
Distillation Gas Absorption

the vapor has to be produced in each the liquid is well below
stage by partial vaporization of the its boiling point
liquid which is therefore at its boiling
point
there is a diffusion of molecules in gas molecules are
both directions, so that for an ideal diffusing into the liquid,
system equimolecular counterdiffusion with negligible transfer
takes place in the reverse direction
In general, the ratio of the liquid to the gas flowrate is considerably
greater in absorption than in distillation with the result that layout
of the trays is different in the two cases and packed columns are
much more commonly used in gas absorption.
7 December 2015 5
Conditions of Equilibrium between
Liquid and Gas
When two phases are brought into contact they eventually reach
equilibrium
 Thus, water in contact with air evaporates until the air is
saturated with water vapor
 Air is absorbed by the water until it becomes saturated with
the individual gases.
 In any mixture of gases, the degree to which each gas is
absorbed is determined by its partial pressure.
 At a given temperature and concentration, each dissolved
gas exerts a definite partial pressure.
7 December 2015 6
Liquid and Gas
Three types of gases may be considered:
 a very soluble one, such as ammonia,
 a moderately soluble one, such as sulphur dioxide, and
 a slightly soluble one, such as oxygen.
The most concentrated solution that can be obtained is that in

which the partial pressure of the solute gas is equal to its partial
pressure in the gas phase.
These equilibrium conditions fix the limits of operation of an

absorption unit.
7 December 2015 7
Liquid and Gas
In an ammonia–air mixture containing 13.1 per cent of ammonia,
the partial pressure of the ammonia is 13.3 kN/m2 and the
maximum concentration of the ammonia in the water at 303 K is
93 kg per 1000 kg of water
7 December 2015 8
The solubility of a gas is not substantially affected by the total
pressure in the system for pressures up to about 500 kN/m2 .
It is important to note that the solubility falls with a rise of
temperature. Thus, for a concentration of 25 per cent by mass
of ammonia in water, the equilibrium partial pressure of the
ammonia is 30.3 kN/m2 at 293 K and 46.9 kN/m2 at 303 K.
For dilute concentrations of most gases, and over a wide range
for some gases, the equilibrium relationship is given by Henry’s
law. This law can be written as:
7 December 2015 9
The Mechanism of Absorption
The two-film theory
The most useful concept of the process of absorption is given
by the two-film theory
A mixture of ammonia or
hydrogen chloride and air
which is in equilibrium with an
aqueous solution, the
concentration in the water is
many times greater than that
in the air.
There is, therefore, a very large concentration gradient across
the interface, although this is not the controlling factor. The
controlling factor will be the rate of diffusion through the two
films where all the resistance is considered to lie.
7 December 2015 10
Diffusion through a stagnant gas
The absorption of a gas consisting of a soluble component A and
an insoluble component B is a problem of mass transfer through
a stationary gas to which Stefan’s law applies:
Integrating over the whole thickness zG of the film, and

representing concentrations at each side of the interface by
suffixes 1 and 2:
7 December 2015 11
Since CT = P/RT, where R is the gas constant, T the absolute
temperature, and P the total pressure. For an ideal gas, then:
Writing PBm as the log mean of the partial pressuresPB1 and PB2 ,
then:
7 December 2015 12
Hence the rate of absorption of A per unit time per unit area is
given by:
kG is known as the gas-film transfer coefficient for absorption

and is a direct measure of the rate of absorption per unit area
of interface with a driving force of unit partial pressure
difference
7 December 2015 13
Diffusion in the liquid phase
The rate of diffusion in liquids is much slower than in gases, and
mixtures of liquids may take a long time to reach equilibrium
unless agitated. This is partly due to the much closer spacing of
the molecules, as a result of which the molecular attractions are
more important.
Whilst there is at present no theoretical basis for the rate of
diffusion in liquids comparable with the kinetic theory for gases,
the basic equation is taken as similar to that for gases, or for
dilute concentrations:
On integration:
7 December 2015 14
Diffusion in the liquid phase
Since the film thickness is rarely known:
kL is the liquid-film transfer coefficient, which is usually expressed

in kmol/s m2 (kmol/m3 ) = m/s. For dilute concentrations:
7 December 2015 15
Rate of Absorption
In a steady-state process of absorption, the rate of transfer of

material through the gas film will be the same as that through
the liquid film, and the general equation for mass transfer of a
component A may be written as:
PAG is the partial pressure in the bulk of the gas,

CAL is the concentration in the bulk of the liquid, and
PAi andCAi are the values of concentration at the interface where
equilibrium conditions are assumed to exist.
Therefore:
7 December 2015 16
Rate of Absorption
ABF is the equilibrium curve for the soluble component A
Point D (CAL,PAG) represents
conditions in the bulk of the gas
and liquid.
Point A (CAe,PAG) represents a
concentration of CAe in the liquid
in equilibrium with PAG in the gas
Point B (CAi,PAi) represents the
concentration of CAi in the liquid in
equilibrium withPAi in the gas, and
gives conditions at the interface
Point F (CAL,PAe) represents a partial
pressure PAe in the gas phase in
equilibrium withCAL in the liquid.
7 December 2015 17
Rate of Absorption
Then, the driving force causing

transfer in the gas phase is:
and the driving force causing

transfer in the liquid phase is:
then
The concentrations at the interface

(point B) are found by drawing a
line through D of slope −kL/kG to
cut the equilibrium curve in B
7 December 2015 18
Rate of Absorption
Overall coefficients
In order to obtain a direct
measurement of the values of kL
and kG the measurement of the
concentration at the interface
would be necessary.
These values can only be obtained in very special circumstances,

and it has been found of considerable value to use two overall
coefficients KG and KL defined by:
KG and KL are known as the overall gas and liquid phase

coefficients, respectively
7 December 2015 19
Rate of Absorption
Relation between film and overall coefficients
The rate of transfer of A may now be written as:
Similarly:
Thus:
7 December 2015 20
Rate of Absorption
Relation between film and overall coefficients
(PAi−PAe)/(CAi−CAL)is the average slope

of the equilibrium curve and, when
the solution obeys Henry’s law,
Ħ=dPA/dCA≈(PAi−PAe)/(CAi−CAL)
Overall mass transfer coefficient based on Gas phase
Overall mass transfer coefficient based on Liquid phase
7 December 2015 21
Rate of Absorption
Rates of absorption in terms of mole fractions
The mass transfer equations can be written as:
Where xA, yA are the mole fractions of the soluble component A

in the liquid and gas phases, respectively. k”G, k”L K”G, K”L, are
transfer coefficients defined in terms of mole fractions
If m is the slope of the equilibrium curve [approximately
(yAi−yAe)/(xAi−xA)], it can then be shown that:
7 December 2015 22
Factors influencing the transfer coefficient
The influence of the solubility of the gas on the shape of the
equilibrium curve, and the effect on the film and overall
coefficients, may be seen by considering three cases in turn
 very soluble
 almost insoluble
 moderately soluble gases
Very soluble gas
Here the equilibrium curve lies
close to the concentration-axis and
the points E and F are very close to
one another. The driving force over the gas film (DE) is then
approximately equal to the overall driving force (DF), so that
kGis approximately equal to KG
7 December 2015 23
Factors influencing the transfer coefficient
Almost insoluble gas
Here the equilibrium curve rises
very steeply so that the driving
force(CAi−CAL) (EB) in the liquid
film becomes approximately
equal to the overall driving
force(CAe−CAL) (AD). In this case kL will be approximately equal to KL.
Moderately soluble gas
Here both films offer an appreciable resistance, and the point B
at the interface must be located by drawing a line through D of
slope −(kL/kG)= −(PAG−PAi)/(CAi−CAL)
In most experimental work, the concentration at the interface
cannot be measured directly, and only the overall coefficients
are therefore found.
7 December 2015 24
Determination of Transfer Coefficients
In the design of an absorption tower, the most important single
factor is the value of the transfer coefficient or the height of
the transfer unit.
 If the total flowrates of the gas and liquid streams are fixed
by the process:
 It is necessary to determine the most suitable flow per unit
area through the column.
 The gas flow is limited by the fact that the flooding rate must
not be exceeded and there will be a serious drop in
performance if the liquid rate is very low.
 It is convenient to examine the effects of flowrates of the gas
and liquid on the transfer coefficients, and also to investigate
the influence of variables such as temperature, pressure, and
diffusivity.
7 December 2015 25
Determination of Transfer Coefficients
Wetted-wall columns
In the laboratory, wetted-wall
columns have been used extensively
and proved to be valuable in
determining the importance of the
various factors, and have served as a
basis from which correlations have
been developed for packed towers.
In many early studies, the rate of
vaporization of liquids into an air
stream was measured in a wetted-
wall column, similar to that shown in
Figure.
7 December 2015 26
Logarithmic plots of d/zG and Re = duρ/µ gave a series of
approximately straight lines and d/zG was proportional to Re0.83
The unknown film thickness zG may be eliminated as:
7 December 2015 27
To allow for the variation in the physical properties, the Schmidt
Group Sc is introduced, and the general equation for mass
transfer in a wetted-wall column is then given by:
Values of B’ 0.021–0.027 have been reported and a mean value

of 0.023 may be taken, which means that equation above is very
similar to the general heat transfer equation for forced
convection in tubes
7 December 2015 28
Mechanism
In a packed absorption column, the flow pattern is similar to that
in a packed distillation column but the vapor stream is replaced
by a mixture of carrier gas and solute gas. The solute diffuses
through the gas phase to the liquid surface where it dissolves
and is then transferred to the bulk of the liquid. In this case there
is no mass transfer of the carrier Fluid and the transfer rate of
solute is supplemented by bulk flow.
7 December 2015 29
The conditions existing in a
column during the steady state
operation of a counter current
Process are shown in Figure.
The molar rates of flow of the
two streams are GI and G2
,which will be taken as constant
over the whole column.
Suffixes 1 and 2 denote the
two phases, and suffixes t and
b relate to the top and bottom
of the column.
7 December 2015 30
If the height of the column is Z, its
total cross-sectional area is S, and a
is the interfacial area between the
two phases per unit volume of
column, then the rate of transfer of
a component in a height dZ of
column is given by:
7 December 2015 31
Where G’1 is the molar rate of flow per unit cross- section of
column. The exact interfacial area can not normally be
determined independently of the transfer coefficient, and
therefore values of the product hD1a are usually quoted for any
particular system.
The left-hand side of the above equation is the rate of change
of concentration with height for unit driving force, and is
therefore a measure of the efficiency of the column and, in this
way, a high value of (hD1aCT)/G’1 is associated with a high
efficiency. The reciprocal Of this quantity is G’1/ (hD1aCT) which
has linear dimensions and is known as the height of the
transfer unit H1 (HTU).
7 December 2015 32
Rearranging the above equation and integrating gives:
The right-hand side of above equation is the height of the

column divided by the HTU and this is known as the number of
transfer units N1. It is obtained by evaluating the Integral on the
left-hand side of the equation. Therefore:
7 December 2015 33
Problems with High Gas Velocity
Channeling: the gas or liquid flow is much greater at some

points than at others
Loading: the liquid flow is reduced due to the increased gas
flow; liquid is held in the void space between packing
Flooding: the liquid stops flowing altogether and collects in the
top of the column due to very high gas flow
TO AVOID this condition experience dictates operating at gas
velocities which are 40 to 70 % of those which causing
flooding
7 December 2015 34
Design of Packed Towers
A common apparatus used in gas absorption and certain other
operations is the packed tower:
The device consists of a cylindrical column, or tower, equipped
with a gas inlet and distributing space at the bottom; a liquid
inlet and distributor at the top; gas and liquid outlets at the top
and bottom, respectively;
A supported mass of inert solid shapes, called tower packing.
The packing support is typically a screen, corrugated to give it
strength, with a large open area so that flooding does not occur
at the support.
The inlet liquid, which may be pure solvent or a dilute solution of
solute in the solvent
7 December 2015 35
7 December 2015 36
Packing Material
• The packing provides a large area of contact between the
liquid and gas and encourages intimate contact between the
phases.
• Tower packings are divided into three principal types:
• those that are dumped at random into the tower,
• those that must be stacked by hand, and
• those known as structured or ordered packings.
• Dumped packings consist of units 6 to 75 mm (i to 3 in.) in
major dimension; packings smaller than 25 mm are used
mainly in laboratory or pilot-plant columns.
7 December 2015 37
Packed VS Tray Columns
Absorption and stripping are usually conducted in packed columns or
in trayed towers.
Packed columns are preferred when:
 the required column diameter is less than 60 cm
 the pressure drop must be low, as for a vacuum service
 corrosion considerations favor the use of ceramic or polymeric
materials
 low liquid holdup is desirable.
Tray towers are preferred when:
 the liquid/gas ratio is very low, and
 frequent cleaning is required
 If there is no overriding consideration, cost is the major factor to be
taken into account when choosing between packed columns and
tray towers for absorption or stripping.
38
7 December 2015 Dr. Saeed GUL, Department of Chemical Engineering, UET Peshawar, Pakistan
7 December 2015 39
Factors affecting the performance of Packed Towers
Contact between Liquid and Gas

Channeling
The requirement of good contact between liquid and gas is the
hardest to meet, especially in large towers.
Ideally the liquid, once distributed over the top of the packing,
flows in thin films over all the packing surface all the way down
the tower. Actually the films tend to grow thicker in Some places
and thinner in others, so that the liquid collects into small
rivulets and flows along localized paths through the packing.
Especially at low liquid rates much of the packing surface may be
dry or, at best, covered by a stagnant film of liquid. This effect is
known as channeling; it is the chief reason for the poor
performance of large packed towers.
7 December 2015 40
Factors affecting the performance of Packed Towers
Pressure Drop and Limiting Flow Rates
Loading Point
The pressure drop per unit packing depth comes from fluid friction
 When the packing is dry, the line so obtained is straight and
has a slope of about 1.8. The pressure drop therefore increases
with the 1.8th power of the velocity.
 If the packing is irrigated with a constant flow of liquid, the
relationship between pressure drop and gas flow rate initially
follows a line parallel to that for dry packing.
 The pressure drop is greater than that in dry packing, because
the liquid in the tower reduces the space available for gas flow.
The void fraction, however, does not change with gas flow.
7 December 2015 41
 At moderate gas velocities the line for irrigated packing
gradually becomes steeper, because the gas now impedes the
down flowing liquid and the liquid holdup increases with gas
rate.
 The point at which the liquid holdup starts to increase, as
judged by a change in the slope of the pressure-drop line, is
called the loading point.
 With stilI further increase in gas velocity, the pressure drop
rises even more rapidly, and the lines become almost vertical.
 In local regions of the column, the liquid becomes the
continuous phase, and the flooding point has been reached.
7 December 2015 42
The gas velocity in an operating
packed column must obviously be
lower than the flooding velocity.
The gas velocity is sometimes
chosen as one-half the predicted
flooding velocity obtained from a
generalized correlation.
7 December 2015 43
Capacity of packed towers
Figure illustrates the conditions that occur

during the steady operation of a
countercurrent gas–liquid absorption
tower. It is convenient to express the
concentration of the streams in terms of
moles of solute gas per mole of inert gas in
the gas phase, and as moles of solute gas
per mole of solute free liquid in the liquid
phase. The actual area of interface
between the two phases is not known, and
the term a is introduced as the interfacial
area per unit volume of the column.
7 December 2015 44
The general equation, for mass transfer can be written as:
7 December 2015 45
Height of column based on conditions in the gas film
and at any plane at which the molar ratios of

the diffusing material in the gas and liquid
phases are Y and X, then over a small height
dZ, the moles of gas leaving the gas phase will
equal the moles taken up by the liquid.
7 December 2015 46
It may be noted that, in a gas absorption process, gas and liquid
concentrations will decrease in the upwards direction and both
dX and dY will be negative. PA

Partial Pressure of Solute
Y
P  PA Partial Pressure of Solvent
Hence the height of column Z required to achieve a change in Y

fromY1 at the bottom to Y2 at the top of the column is given by:
7 December 2015 47
which for dilute mixtures may be written as:
In this analysis it has been assumed that kG is a constant

throughout the column, and provided the concentration changes
are not too large this will be reasonably true.
7 December 2015 48
Height of column based on conditions in liquid film
A similar analysis may be made in terms of the liquid film:
where the concentrations C are in terms of moles of solute per

unit volume of liquor. If CT =(moles of solute + solvent)(volume of
liquid), then:
7 December 2015 49
The transfer equation (above) may now be written as:
and for dilute concentrations this gives:
Where CT and kL have been taken as constant over the column

7 December 2015 50
Height based on overall coefficients
If the driving force based on the gas concentration is written as

(Y−Ye) and the overall gas transfer coefficient as KG, then the
height of the tower for dilute concentrations becomes:
or in terms of the liquor concentration as:
7 December 2015 51
Equations for dilute concentrations
As the mole fraction is approximately equal to the molar ratio at
dilute concentrations then considering the gas film:
and considering the liquid film:
7 December 2015 52
The operating line and graphical integration
for the height of a column
Taking a material balance on the solute from the

bottom of the column to any plane where the
mole ratios are Y and X gives for unit area of
cross-section:
This is the equation of a straight line of slope Lm/Gm,

which passes through the point (X1, Y1). It may be
seen by making a material balance over the whole
column that the same line passes through the point
(X2, Y2). This line, known as the operating line.
7 December 2015 53
The operating line represents the conditions at any point in
the column.
The equilibrium curve is represented by the line FR, and the
operating line is given by AB
A, concentrations at
the bottom of the
column and B to at
the top of the
column.
7 December 2015 54
D represents the condition of the bulk of the liquid and gas at
any point in the column, and has coordinates X and Y.
If the gas film is controlling the process, Yi equals Ye, and is
given by a point F on the equilibrium curve, with coordinates X
and Yi.
The driving force
causing transfer is
then given by the
distance DF.
7 December 2015 55
It is possible to evaluate the expression
by selecting values of Y, reading off from the Figure the

corresponding values of Yi, and thus calculating 1/(Yi −Y). It may
be noted that, for gas absorption, Y>Yi and Yi −Y and dY in the
integral are both negative.
If the liquid film controls the process, Xi equals Xe and the driving
force Xi −X is given in Figure by the line DR. The evaluation of the
integral:
may be effected in the same way as for the gas film.

7 December 2015 56
`
Special case when equilibrium curve is a straight line
If over the range of concentrations considered the equilibrium
curve is a straight line, it is permissible to use a mean value of the
driving force over the column. For dilute concentrations, over a
small height dZ of column, the absorption is given by:
7 December 2015 57
taking a material balance over the lower portion of the
columns gives:
From
7 December 2015 58
From and
where(y−ye)lm is the logarithmic mean

value of y−ye.
7 December 2015 59
Substituting In
We get
thus
In mole ratios
For concentrated solutions:
φ=1/(1+Y) is a correction factor for concentrated solutions

7 December 2015 60
As long as the ratio kL/kG remains
constant (slope of DE is constant),
then the ratio of DQ, the driving
force through the gas phase, divided
by DF, the driving force assuming all
the resistance to be in the gas
phase, will be a constant. Thus, the
use of the driving force DF is
satisfactory even if the resistance
does not lie wholly in the gas phase.
It follows that, if the equilibrium
curve is straight, either the gas-film Figure: Driving force when equilibrium
curve is a straight line
or the liquid-film coefficient may be
used.
7 December 2015 61
Capacity of tower in terms of partial pressures
for high concentrations
A material balance taken between the bottom of the column and
some plane where the partial pressure in the gas phase is PAG and
the concentration in the liquid is X gives:
Over a small height of the column dZ, therefore:
7 December 2015 62
The advantage of using k’G instead of kG is that k’G is independent
of concentration, although this equation is almost
unmanageable in practice.
If a substantial amount of the gas is absorbed from a
concentrated mixture, k’G will still change as a result of a reduced
gas velocity, although it is independent of concentration
k’G: Gas-film transfer coefficient(DV/RTzG)

kG : Gas-film transfer coefficient(DVP/RTzGPBm)
7 December 2015 63
The transfer unit
The transfer unit
The group ʃ(dy/ye−y), is defined as the number of overall gas
transfer units NOG.
Over a small height dZ, the partial pressure of the diffusing
component A will change by an amount dPAG. Then the moles of A
transferred are given by:
(change in mole fraction)×(total moles of gas)
Therefore:
Thus:
in terms of mole fractions:
7 December 2015 64
The concept in the analysis of packed column centred on the
method of transfer units. This method is more appropriate
because the changes in compositions of the liquid and vapor
phases occur differentially in a packed column rather than in
stepwise fashion as in trayed column.
In this method, height of packings required can be evaluated
either based on the gas-phase or the liquid-phase. The packed
height (z) is calculated using the following formula:
z=NxH
where
N = number of transfer units (NTU) - dimensionless
H = height of transfer units (HTU) - dimension of length
7 December 2015 65
The number of transfer units (NTU) required is a measure of the
difficulty of the separation. A single transfer unit gives the change
of composition of one of the phases equal to the average driving
force producing the change. The NTU is similar to the number of
theoretical trays required for trayed column. Hence, a larger
number of transfer units will be required for a very high purity
product.
The height of a transfer unit (HTU) is a measure of the separation

effectiveness of the particular packings for a particular separation
process. As such, it incorporates the mass transfer coefficient that
we have seen earlier. The more efficient the mass transfer (i.e.
larger mass transfer coefficient), the smaller the value of HTU. The
values of HTU can be estimated from empirical correlations or
pilot plant tests, but the applications are rather restricted.
7 December 2015 66
7 December 2015 67
Problem 12.1
Tests are made on the absorption of carbon dioxide from a carbon
dioxide–air mixture in a solution containing 100 kg/m3 of caustic
soda, using a 250 mm diameter tower packed to a height of 3 m with
19 mm Raschig rings.
The results obtained at atmospheric pressure were:
Gas rate, G = 0 .34 kg/m2s. Liquid rate, L = 3 .94 kg/m2s.
The carbon dioxide in the inlet gas was 315 parts per million and the
carbon dioxide in the exit gas was 31 parts per million.
What is the value of the overall gas transfer coefficient KGa?
8 December 2015 68
Solution Problem 12.1
8 December 2015 69
It may be assumed that as the solution of NaOH is fairly concentrated,

there will be a negligible vapour pressure of CO2 over the solution,
that is all the resistance to transfer lies in the gas phase.
8 December 2015 70
8 December 2015 71
Problem 12.2
An acetone–air mixture containing 0.015 mole fraction of
acetone has the mole fraction reduced to 1 per cent of this value
by countercurrent absorption with water in a packed tower. The
gas flow rate G’ is 1 kg/m2s of air and the water enters at 1.6
kg/m2s. For this system, Henry’s law holds and ye =1.75x,where
ye is the mole fraction of acetone in the vapor in equilibrium
with a mole fraction x in the liquid. How many overall transfer
units are required?
Solution
As the system is dilute, mole fractions are approximately equal
to mole ratios
At the bottom of the tower: y1=0.015,G’=1.0 kg/m2s,x1 is unknown
At the top of the tower: y2=0.00015,x2=0 and L’=1.6 kg/m2
8 December 2015 72
Solution of Problem 12.2
8 December 2015 73
Solution of Problem 12.2
8 December 2015 74
PROBLEM 12.3
An oil containing 2.55 mole per cent of a hydrocarbon is stripped
by running the oil down a column up which live steam is passed, so
that 4 kmol of steam are used/100 kmol of oil stripped. Determine
the number of theoretical plates required to reduce the
hydrocarbon content to 0.05 mole per cent, assuming that the oil
is non-volatile. The vapour–liquid relation of the hydrocarbon in
the oil is given by ye = 33x, where ye is the mole fraction in the
vapour and x the mole fraction in the liquid. The temperature is
maintained constant by internal heating, so that steam does not
condense in the tower.
Solution
8 December 2015 75
Solution to Problem 12.3
A mass balance between a plane in the tower, where the

concentrations are X and Y, and the bottom of the tower gives:
This is the equation of the operating line and as the equilibrium data
are ye = 33x, then:
8 December 2015 76
Using these data, the equilibrium and lines may be drawn as shown
in Figure shown below. The number of theoretical plates is then
found from a stepping-off procedure as employed for distillation as 8
plates.
8 December 2015 77
Problem 12.4
Gas, from a petroleum distillation column, has a concentration of
H2S reduced from 0.03 (kmol H2S/kmol of inert hydrocarbon gas)
to 1 per cent of this value by scrubbing with a triethanolamine–
water solvent in a countercurrent tower, operating at 300 K and
atmospheric pressure. The equilibrium relation for the solution
may be taken as Ye = 2X. The solvent enters the tower free of H2S
and leaves containing 0.013 kmol of H2S/kmol of solvent. If the
flow of inert gas is 0.015 kmol/s m2 of tower cross-section,
calculate:
(a) the height of the absorber necessary, and
(b) the number of transfer units NOG required.
The overall coefficient for absorption KG”a may be taken as 0.04

kmol/s m3 (unit mole fraction driving force).
8 December 2015 78
8 December 2015 79
PROBLEM 12.5
It is known that the overall liquid transfer coefficient KLa for
absorption of SO2 in water in a column is 0.003 kmol/s m3 (kmol/m3).
Obtain an expression for the overall liquid-film coefficient KLa for
absorption of NH3 in water in the same equipment using the same
water and gas rates. The diffusivities of SO2 and NH3 in air at 273 K are
0.103 and 0.170 cm2/s. SO2 dissolves in water, and Henry’s constant H
is equal to 50 (kN/m2)/(kmol/m3). All the data are expressed for the
same temperature.
Solution
As the overall liquid phase mass transfer resistance is:
8 December 2015 80
For the absorption of a moderately soluble gas it is reasonable to
assume that the liquid and gas phase resistances are of the same
order of magnitude, assuming them to be equal:
8 December 2015 81
8 December 2015 82
8 December 2015 83
7 December 2015 84
7 December 2015 85
7 December 2015 86
7 December 2015 87
7 December 2015 88

Absorption of Gases PDF

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originalbeschreibung:

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Absorption of Gases PDF

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Mass Transfer (ChE - 392)

Saeed GUL, Dr.Techn, M.Sc. Engg.

Department of Chemical Engineering,

Absorption processes are therefore conveniently divided into

Distillation Gas Absorption

The most concentrated solution that can be obtained is that in

These equilibrium conditions fix the limits of operation of an

Integrating over the whole thickness zG of the film, and

kG is known as the gas-film transfer coefficient for absorption

kL is the liquid-film transfer coefficient, which is usually expressed

In a steady-state process of absorption, the rate of transfer of

PAG is the partial pressure in the bulk of the gas,

Then, the driving force causing

and the driving force causing

The concentrations at the interface

These values can only be obtained in very special circumstances,

KG and KL are known as the overall gas and liquid phase

(PAi−PAe)/(CAi−CAL)is the average slope

Overall mass transfer coefficient based on Gas phase

Overall mass transfer coefficient based on Liquid phase

Where xA, yA are the mole fractions of the soluble component A

The unknown film thickness zG may be eliminated as:

Values of B’ 0.021–0.027 have been reported and a mean value

The right-hand side of above equation is the height of the

Channeling: the gas or liquid flow is much greater at some

Contact between Liquid and Gas

Figure illustrates the conditions that occur

and at any plane at which the molar ratios of

Hence the height of column Z required to achieve a change in Y

In this analysis it has been assumed that kG is a constant

A similar analysis may be made in terms of the liquid film:

where the concentrations C are in terms of moles of solute per

and for dilute concentrations this gives:

Where CT and kL have been taken as constant over the column

If the driving force based on the gas concentration is written as

or in terms of the liquor concentration as:

and considering the liquid film:

Taking a material balance on the solute from the

This is the equation of a straight line of slope Lm/Gm,

by selecting values of Y, reading off from the Figure the

may be effected in the same way as for the gas film.

where(y−ye)lm is the logarithmic mean

φ=1/(1+Y) is a correction factor for concentrated solutions

Over a small height of the column dZ, therefore:

k’G: Gas-film transfer coefficient(DV/RTzG)

in terms of mole fractions:

The height of a transfer unit (HTU) is a measure of the separation

It may be assumed that as the solution of NaOH is fairly concentrated,

A mass balance between a plane in the tower, where the

The overall coefficient for absorption KG”a may be taken as 0.04

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen