Design of packed tower using Transfer Units

The design Equations can be written in the form of:

y1
V (1 − y )im dy
′
k y aS
∫ (1 − y )( y − y ) = H
y2 i
G NG = z (45)

x1
V (1 − x)im dx
′
k x aS
∫ (1 − x )( x − x) = H
x2 i
L NL = z (46)

y1
V (1 − y )*m dy
′
K y aS
∫ (1 − y )( y − y*) = H
y2
OG N OG = z (47)

x1
V (1 − x)*m dx
′
K x aS
∫ (1 − x )( x * − x) = H
x2
OL N OL = z (48)

H is known as height transfer unit

N is known as mass transfer unit

These equations are the same as before but under different notation.

Simplification

• for dilute solutions (<10%):

The terms (1-y)im/(1-y), (1-y)*m/(1-y), (1-x)im/(1-x), (1-x)*m/(1-x) are close to one

The above equations reduce to:

y1
V dy
′
k y aS
∫
y2
( y − yi )
= H G NG = z (45)

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 x1
V dx
′
k x aS
∫
x2
( xi − x)
= H LNL = z (46)

y1
V dy
′
K y aS
∫
y2
( y − y*)
= H OG N OG = z (47)

x1
V dx
′
K x aS
∫
x2
( x * − x)
= H OL N OL = z (48)

• IF operating and equilibrium lines are straight

The integrals cab calculated as follows:

y1
dy y1 − y2
∫ ( y − y ) = (y − y )
y2 i i m
= NG (49)

x1
dx x −x
∫ (x
x2 i − x)
= 1 2 = NL
(xi − x )m
(50)

y1
dy y1 − y2
∫ ( y − y*) = ( y − y *)
y2 m
= N OG (51)

x1
dx x1 − x2
∫ ( x * − x) = (x * − x )
x2 m
= N OL (52)

If major resistance occur in the gas phase Î NG or NOG

If major resistance occur in the liquid phase Î NL or NOL

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 • Combining operating line with equilibrium line using y = mx, the integral
becomes:

1 ⎡ ⎛ y − mx2 ⎞ ⎤
N OG = ln ⎢(1 − 1 / A)⎜⎜ 1 ⎟⎟ + 1 / A⎥ (53)
(1 − 1 / A) ⎣ ⎝ y2 − mx2 ⎠ ⎦

1 ⎡ ⎛ x − y1 / m ⎞ ⎤
N OL = ln ⎢(1 − A)⎜⎜ 2 ⎟⎟ + A⎥ (54)
(1 − A) ⎣ ⎝ x1 − y1 / m ⎠ ⎦

A = L/mV

Notice:

When the operating and equilibrium lines are straight but not parallel, the following
holds:

The theoretical number of trays is related to number of transfer units as follows:

N ln A
N OG = (55)
(1 − 1 / A)

The theoretical height of a stage (tray) is related to the number of height units as follows:

ln(1 / A)
HETP = H OG (56)
(1 − A) / A

HOG = HG + (mV/L)HL (57)

HOL = HL + (mV/L)HG (58)

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Example 10.6.5

Repeat Example 10.6.4

(a) use Hg and NG to calculate tower height

(b) use HOG and NOG to calculate tower height
(c) use analytical equation to calculate the tower height
(d) calculate HETP, N and tower height

S = 0.186 m2
y1 = 0.026 y2= 0.005 V’ = 13.65 mole/h
L’ = 45.36 mole/h x2 = 0
k’xa = 3.78e-2 mole/s m3, k’ya = 6.16e-2 mole/s m3

part (a)

V 3.852 × 10−3
= HG = = 0.548m
′ 3.78 × 10− 2 (0.186)
k y aS

Determine yi1 and yi2 then (y-yi)m as in previous example and compute:

y1 − y2 0.026 − 0.005
NG = = = 3.486 transfer unit
( y − yi )m 0.00602

Therefore

Z = NG HG = 0.548 X 3.486 = 1.911 m

Part (b)

V 3.852 × 10−3
= H OG = = 0.9,49m
′ 2.183 × 10 −2
( 0.186)
K y aS

Determine y1* and y2* then (y-y*)m as in previous example and compute:

y1 − y2 0.026 − 0.005
N OG = = = 2.049 transfer unit
( y − y *)m 0.01025

Therefore

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 Z = NOG HOG = 0.949 X 2.049 = 1.945 m

Part (c )

A = L/mV = 1.26E-2/(1.186X3.852E-3) = 2.758

1 ⎡ ⎛ 0.026 − 1.186(0) ⎞ ⎤
N OG = ln ⎢(1 − 1 / 2.758)⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ + 1 / 2.758⎥ = 2.043
(1 − 1 / 2.758) ⎣ ⎝ 0.005 − 1.186(0) ⎠ ⎦

Z = 2.043(0.949) = 1.939 m

Part (d)

ln(1 / A) ln(1 / 2.758)

HETP = H OG = 0.949 = 1.51m
(1 − A) / A (1 − 2.758) / 2.758

⎡ y − mx0 ⎤ ⎡ y − mx2 ⎤
ln ⎢ N +1 (1 − 1 / A) + 1 / A⎥ ln ⎢ 1 (1 − 1 / A) + 1 / A⎥
y − mx0 ⎦ = ⎣ y2 − mx2
N= ⎣ 1 ⎦
ln( A) ln( A)

V1, y1 L0, x0
V2, y2 L2, x2

n
dz

Vn+1,yn+1 Ln, xn
V, y L, x

VN+1, yN+1 LN, xN

V1, y1 L1, x1

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 ⎡ 0.026 − 02 ⎤
ln ⎢ (1 − 1 / 2.758) + 1 / 2.758⎥
0.005 − 0
N= ⎣ ⎦ = 1.283
ln(2.758)

Z = N x HETP = 1.51 (1.283) = 1.938 m

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Solving the general case

y1 z
Vdy
∫ ′
k y aS
= ∫ dz = z
(1 − y )( y − yi )
y2 0

(1 − y )im

x1 z
Ldx
∫ ′
k x aS
= ∫ dz = z
x2
(1 − x )( xi − x) 0

(1 − x)im

y1 z
Vdy
∫ ′
K y aS
= ∫ dz = z
(1 − y )( y − y*)
y2 0

(1 − y ) m *

x1 z
Ldx
∫ ′
K x aS
= ∫ dz = z
x2
(1 − x )( x * − x) 0

(1 − x)im

Example 10.7.1

SO2 in air Æ water 293 K, 101.32 kPa

y1 = 0.2
y2 = 0.02
V’ = 6.53E-4 mole/s
L’ = 4.2E-2 mole/s

S =0.0929 m2

ky’a = 0.0594Gy0.7Gx0.25
kx’a = 0.152Gx0.82

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Solution

(1)Overall component balance

y1 x y x
V′ + L′ 2 = V ′ 2 + L′ 1
1 − y1 1 − x2 1 − y2 1 − x1

0 .2 0 0.02 x
6.53 × 10 − 4 + 4.2 × 10− 2 = 6.53 × 10 − 4 + 4.2 × 10− 2 1
1 − 0 .2 1− 0 1 − 0.02 1 − x1

Î x1 = 0.00355

(1) Draw equilibrium line from given data in appendix A3

(3) Operating line equation (component balance over section)

0.2 x y 0.00355
6.53 × 10− 4 + 4.2 × 10− 2 = 6.53 × 10− 4 + 4.2 × 10− 2
1 − 0.2 1− x 1− y 1 − 0.00355

For selected values for y get values for x Î Fill the Table Î draw the operating line

(4) calculate the vapor and liquid flow rates

Vi = V’/(1−yi) Li = L’/(1−xi) Î fill the table

(5) calculate the total mass flow in kg/s m2

V ′M air + V ′( y /(1 − y ) )M A
Gy =
S

L′M water + L′(x /(1 − x) )M A

Gx =
S

Fill the Table

(6) compute the file transfer coefficient ky’ and kx’ Æ file the Table

(7) determine the interface composition xi and yi by trial-and-error as done before.

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 Estimate the slope of PM1 line using x1,y1:

k x ' (1 − x)im k ' a (1 − x 1 ) 0.857 /(1 − 0.00355)

− − x =− = −15.3
k y ' (1 − y ) im k y ' a (1 − y1 ) 0.04496 /(1 − 0.8)

Plot the PM1 line with slope -15.3 and get

Yi = 0.1688 and xi= 0.00566

Using these values compute:

(1 − y1i ) − (1 − y1 ) (1 − 0.1688) − (1 − 0.2)

(1 − y )im = = = 0.816
1 − y1i 1 − 0.1688
ln ln
1 − y1 1 − 0.2

(1 − x1i ) − (1 − x1 ) (1 − 0.00355) − (1 − 0.09566)

(1 − x)im = = = 0.995
1 − x1i 1 − 0.00355
ln ln
1 − x1 1 − 0.00566

Recalculate the slope:

k x ' (1 − x)im 0.857 / 0.995

− =− = −15.6
k y ' (1 − y ) im 0.04496 / 0.816

If the slope matches stop the iteration, otherwise repeat.

Do the same for the other values of y till reaching the value of x2,y2Æ fill the
Table

8. calculate the term

Vdy
f ( y) =
k y′aS
(1 − y ) ( y − yi )
(1 − y )im

For different values for y in the Table

9. plot f(y) versus y and perform graphical integration to obtain z = 1.6 m

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31
Correlations for predicting the film transfer coefficient

L ⎛ 0.357 ⎞ ⎛ N sc ⎞0.5 ⎛ Gx μ ⎞
0.3

≡ HL = ⎜
k x′ aS ⎜ f p ⎟⎟ ⎜⎝ 372 ⎟⎠ ⎜⎝ 6.782 / 0.8937 × 10−3 ⎟⎠
⎝ ⎠

⎛ 0.226 ⎞ ⎛ N sc ⎞0.5 ⎛ Gx ⎞−0.5 ⎛ Gy ⎞

0.35
V
≡ HG = ⎜ ⎟⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
k ′y aS ⎜
⎝ f p ⎠ ⎝ 0.66 ⎠ ⎝ 6.782 ⎠ ⎝ 0.678 ⎠

fp relative nass transfer coefficient Î see Table 10.6.1

Estimation of Tower Diameter

Example 10.6.1

Ammonia in air Æ water

F = 1440 lbm/h = 653.2 kg/h

y = 0.03
GL/GG = 2/1

Calculate pressure drop, gas mass velocity at flooding. Using 50% of flooding velocity
get the pressure drop. Gas and liquid flows and tower diameter.

ρG = 0.07309 lb/ft3
ρL = 62.25 lb/ft3
μ = 0.8972 cp

v = μ/ρ = 0.8963

Using Table 10.6.1 Î fp = 56 ft-1

ΔP = 0.115fp0.7 = 1.925 in H2O/ft packing hieght

(GL/GG)(ρG/ρL)0.5 = (2.0)(0.07309/62.5)0.5 = 0.06853

Î 1.7 = vG [ ρG /( ρ L − ρG ) ]
0.5
Using Figure 10.6.5 f p0.5v 0.5

Î vG = 6.63 ft/s Î GG = vGρG = 0.487 lb/s ft2

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At 50 %

GG = 0.5(0.487) = 0.2435 lbm/s ft2

A = F/GG = (1440/3600) (lbm/s)/(0.2435)(lbm/s ft2) = 1.6427 ft2

(π/4)D2 = 1.6427 ft2

Î D = 1.45 ft

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