ABSORPTION / STRIPPING

ALVIN R. CAPARANGA, Ph.D.

School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Mapua Institute of Technology
 Absorption
Contacting phases: GAS and LIQUID

Solute A or several solutes are absorbed

from the gas phase into a liquid phase.
with or without chemical reaction

Mechanism: molecular and turbulent

diffusion of A through a stagnant non-
diffusing gas B into a stagnant liquid C.
 ABSORPTION is a unit operation where
concentrations of some components in the gas
phase are reduced by absorbing them to the
liquid phase.
ABSORPTION is an operation where mass
transfer occurs between gas and liquid
phase.
Examples:
removal of a noxious component from the gas
phase
removal of CO2 from flue gas or other waste gas steams
removal of H2S from natural gas
manufacture of sulfuric acid: absorption of SO3 in
water or dil. H2SO4 or oleum
manufacture of ammonia (absorption3 of NH3 in
water)
 Desorption or Stripping
Reverse of absorption (i.e., mass transfer: L
G)
(Same) theories and principles of absorption
apply
Example
Stripping of volatile components of nonvolatile oils using
steam
 Gas-Liquid Equilibrium
Partial pressure of A in gas versus mole
fraction of A in liquid (pA vs xA)
Appendix A.3 (Geankoplis)

Henrys law: pA = HxA

Other forms: yA = HxA H = H/P
pA = HcA
Note: units of constant depend on the form
used
Material Balance

Total balance

Component balance
 Stage-Stage Equilibrium Contact

Equilibrium: yA1 = HxA1

Assumptions:
L moles inert in water (i.e., water)
Liquid: aqueous solution (water + A)
V moles inert in air (i.e., air)
Gas: (air + A)
L and V are constant and known.
Water does not evaporate.
Air does not dissolve in water.
Data: H = 0.142 x 104 atm/mol frac (Appendix A.3)
Countercurrent Multiple-Contact Stages

OPERATING LINE
Countercurrent Multiple-Contact Stages
(Analytical Solution)
Applies when:
A) Operating line is straight (i.e., L and V are constant).
B) Equilibrium line is a straight over the concentration range.
C) Countercurrent flow

y N 1
xn 1 Axn Ax N
m

A absorption factor A = L /mV

Kremser Equations for STRIPPING
Kremser Equations for ABSORPTION
15
16
DESIGN OF PACKED
COLUMNS
for
Gas-Liquid Separation
Prepared by
ALVIN R. CAPARANGA
Mapua Institute of Technology
 In order to transfer a component between
two phases, the following conditions must
be met:
The phases must be in contact.
The phases must not be in equilibrium state.

18
PLATE AND PACKED COLUMN

A packed column is usually favorable when

only a small pressure drop is allowed in the
column;
the components are corrosive;
the diameter of the column is small ( < 1 m);
liquid hold-up must be small;
liquid foams.

19
 A plate column is usually favorable when
liquid flows are too large or too small; then the hold-
up can be adjusted with the structure of plates
liquid flows vary a lot
a big hold-up is required to lengthen the contact
time (for example, in reactive distillation)
the designed column is very high (for effective
separation); then packed columns are unfavorable
due to channeling and heavy weight of packing
cooling coils are needed inside the column
the column has to be cleaned from time to time due
to solids in the process fluids
20
CHARACTERISTICS OF TOWER PACKING
MATERIALS

Large wetted surface (for phase contacting) per unit

volume of packed space
Large void volume to allow reasonable throughput of
phases without excessive -P
Good wetting characteristics
Low bulk density (to avoid serious support problems)
Relatively inexpensive

21
 RANDOM PACKING STRUCTURED PACKING

a Raschig ring; b Berl saddle; c Pall ring A small element of MellapakTM

(m); d Pall ring (p); e Intalox saddle (c); f
Super Intalox saddle (p).
23
COMMON (Random) PACKING SHAPES
(See Fig. 16.2 Foust et al. / Fig. 14-45a Perrys.)

RASCHIG RINGS
Low cost but may not be as efficient as newer packing materials
Wall thickness: decrease in wall thickness results to
decrease in mechanical strength and pressure drop
increase in lower free space and surface area.
diameter = height
Porcelain, clays, carbon, or metals
INTALOX SADDLES
Give greater degree of randomness than Raschig rings
High initial cost
BERL SADDLES
High degree of randomness, relatively large surface area per unit
volume
PALL RINGS
With stamped and inward-bent sections to give better circulation
of contacting phases

24
 Physical characteristics of dry commercial
packing
Table 16.1 Foust et al.
Table 14-13 Perrys CHE Handbook (8th ed.)
Table 6.8 Seader and Henley (1st ed.)

Characteristics specified;
% void
Specific surface
Packing factor (FP)
Dumped weight
Etc.

25
Source: Perrys ChE HB (8th ed.) pp 14-60 to 14-61
26
27
CHANNELING

the tendency of the downflowing liquid to

select preferred paths (or channels) for its
flow down the packing
The fluid tends to move toward the region
of greatest void space, which is the region
near the wall.
a principal contribution toward poor
performance in packed columns

28
PRINCIPLE OF GAS ABSORPTION
Total balance:
Va La La + V = L + Va
ya xa
Component balance:

L,x Laxa + Vy = Lx + Vaya

Equation of operating line:

L Va y a L a x a
V,y
y x
V V
Vb
Lb Ratio of molal flows of liquid and
yb gas
xb 29
y Operating line
Operating line
(L/V)min

yb

Equilibrium curve

ya

xa xb x

30
Rate of absorption:

r k y a y yi kxa:

r k xa xi x volumetric mass transfer

r K y a y y *
coefficient based on the
liquid phase
a:

r K x a x * x interfacial area per unit

volume of packed column
Alternately:

r k G a p A p Ai r k L a c Ai c A
r K G a p A p A * r K L a c A * c A
31
 y yi kxa
y
x xi kya

Slope:
-kxa/kya

yi

y*

x xi x* x

See Fig. 14-4 and Eqn. 14-14 Perrys.

32
Overall driving forces:

1 1 m

K ya k ya k x a
y = mx
1 1 1

K x a mk y a k x a

Note:
When the solubility of gas is very high, m is very
small and the gas-film resistance controls the
rate of absorption.

33
Calculation of
PACKED HEIGHT
- PACKED COLUMN DESIGN -
CALCULATION OF TOWER HEIGHT (PACKED HEIGHT)
The height of the packing (ZT) can be calculated in two
ways:
HETP - height equivalent to a theoretical
1. ZT = (Nt) (HETP) plate; Nt no. of ideal plates

2. ZT = (HTU) (NTU)
HTU height of a transfer unit; NTU number
of transfer units
can be designed using any of the four basic
rate equations.
Kya or kya is often used.
does not require any assumption about the
controlling phase
A design based on Kya or kya is as 35
simple and
accurate as one based on Kxa and kxa.
 Use of HETP in Absorber Design

o Also valid for distillation and dilute-gas stripping

systems
o For relationship between HETP and HOG, see
equations 14-29 and 14-30 of Perrys CHE
Handbook (8th ed.)

36
 HTU NTU Method
of Determining Packed Height

37
Assume change in molar flux is
negligible: -Vdy = Kya (y y*)SdZ

K y aS ZT dy
yb
dZ
La
Va
xa V 0 ya y y *
ya
yb
V 1 dy
S K y a ya y y *
ZT
L,x

dZ ZT V
H Oy [HTU]
SK y a
V,y
yb
dy
Vb
Lb
y y y * N Oy [NTU]
a
yb
xb SEE ALSO EQ. 14-5 TO 14-9
38 of Perrys
ChE HB (8th ed.)
 HTU height of a transfer unit

o The height of a transfer unit is a measure of the

separation effectiveness of the particular packing
for the chemical species being processed.
o If the rate of interphase mass transfer is high and
the surface area for transfer is large, then the
height of a transfer unit will be small.

39
 NTU number of transfer units
o NTU is a measure of difficulty of separation. It is the
ratio of the total change in composition for the
particular phase and the available driving force.
o If both OL and EC are straight and parallel:
o NTU = Nt (no. of theoretical or ideal stages)
o If slope of OL > slope of EC:
o NTU > Nt
o If slope of OL < slope of EC:
o NTU < Nt
40
For straight OL and EC:

yb ya
N Oy
y y*

N Oy
y b ya
y LM
y b y * y a y *
y LM yb y *
ln
ya y *
xb xa
N Ox x LM ?
x LM 41
For dilute solutions with OL and EC both straight but
not parallel:

1 mG y b mx a mG
N OG ln 1
mG L y a mx a L
EQN. 14-23 /
1 14-28 Perrys
L

Equilibrium curve (EC) follows Henrys law: y* mx

Also:
A absorption factor
A 1
N OG Nt ln A
L
1 A A mG

42
For dilute solutions with OL and EC both straight but
not parallel:

A 1
HETP H OG ln
1 A A

43
The choice of which combination of
HTU (H) and NTU (N) to use depends
upon the form in which mass transfer
coefficient is available.

44
Four kinds of transfer units:

V dy
GAS FILM Hy Ny
k y aS y yi
L dx
LIQUID FILM Hx Nx
k x aS xi x
V dy
OVERALL GAS H Oy N Oy
K y aS y y*
L dx
OVERALL LIQUID H Ox N Ox
K x aS x * x

ZT = HyNy = HxNx = HOyNOy = HOxNOx EQN. 14-15 /

14-16 Perrys
45
Important

If the principal resistance is in the gas

phase, use ZT = HOGNOG.
If the principal resistance is in the liquid
phase, use ZT = HOLNOL.

46
Alternate forms of transfer coefficient:

GM
Hy
k G aP
GyV
Gx / x GM
Hx M S
kLa

GM G = mass velocity
H Oy
K G aP

Gx / x
H Ox
K G aP

47
Recall:

1 1 m 1 1 1

K ya k ya kxa K x a k x a mk y a

GM GM mGM LM LM LM LM G M

K ya k ya k x a LM K x a k x a mk y a GM

GM LM
H Oy H y m H x H Ox H x H y
LM mG M
See Eqn. 14-19 Perrys.
Note: Gx L
LM
M S 48
 PROBLEM 1
A gas stream containing 3% A is passed through a
packed column to remove 99% of the A by absorption
in water. The absorber will operate at 25oC and 1 atm,
and the gas and liquid rates are to be 20 mole h -1 ft-2
and 100 mole h-1 ft-2, respectively. Mass transfer
coefficient and equilibrium data are as follows:
y* = 3.1 x at 25oC
kxa = 60 mol h-1 ft-3 (mole fraction)-1
kya = 15 mol h-1 ft-3 (mole fraction)-1
A)Evaluate NOy, Hoy and ZT.
B)Calculate ZT using NOx and HOx.
49
PROBLEM 2
A soluble gas is absorbed in water using a packed
tower. The equilibrium relationship may be taken as y =
0.06x. Terminal conditions are as follows:
top bottom
x 0 0.08
y 0.001 0.009
If Hx = 0.24 m and Hy = 0.36 m, what is the height of the
packed column?

50
PROBLEM 3

During the unloading of a tank car into a storage

tank, air containing 0.02 mol fraction of a water-
soluble gas comes out of the storage tank. This air
is to be scrubbed with water in a countercurrent
packed column to reduce the concentration of the
gas to 0.0001 mole fraction. The following data are
available: gas flow rate = 1000 scfm/ft2 tower cross
section; pure water rate = 1500 lb/hft2 tower cross
section; equilibrium relationship y* = 1.8x; Kya = 2
lbmol/ft3hmol fraction. Determine the packing
height.

51
Calculation of
CAPACITY & PRESSURE DROP
- PACKED COLUMN DESIGN -
 PACKED COLUMN:
CAPACITY AND PRESSURE DROP

Loading point is the gas flow rate at which the gas starts to
hinder the liquid downflow. The liquid holdup is not
affected by the vapor density.
Flooding velocity is the upper limit to the rate of gas flow,
above which the tower cannot operate. This applies to a
given type and size of packing.
The column diameter is determined so as to safely avoid
flooding and operate in the preloading region with a
pressure drop of no greater than 1.5 in. of H2O head per
foot of packed height (equivalent to 0.054 psi / ft of
packing). 53
PACKED COLUMN HYDRAULICS
*At low L rates, the effective x-
section of the packing is not
appreciably different from that of
dry packing, and -P is due to
flow thru a series of variable
openings in the bed. [-P (gas
rate)2]
*As L holdup increases:
-If packing consists of extended
surfaces, small change in gas
rate results to great -P
(FLOODING).
-If packing surface is
discontinuous, phase inversion
occurs, and gas bubbles thru the
liquid.
54
 GPDC: GENERALIZED FLOODING-
PRESSURE DROP CORRELATION FOR
PACKED COLUMNS (Leva, 1954; Eckert,
1970)
One significant advantage of a
packed column is its relatively low
pressure drop per unit of packed
height, as compared to trayed
tower.

55
 Fig. 14-55 CHE HB

Pressure drop per foot of

packed height

capacity parameter

0.5
L G
FLG
G L 56
57
 0.50
G
CP C F
0.5
0.5
S P
0.05
US FP 0.05 14-140 CHE HB
L G
US superficial gas velocity, ft/s
G, L gas and liquid densities
Fp packing factor, ft-1
kinematic viscosity of liquid, cS
G gas-phase mass velocity
L liquid-phase mass velocity
CS C-factor, based on tower superficial cross-sectional area, ft2(Eq. 14-77)
CP capacity factor, dimensional (see Eq. 14-140)

0.5
L G
FLG 14-141 CHE HB
G L 58
Evaluation of COLUMN DIAMETER (DT)
CONTINUITY EQUATION:

2
m G G M M G G fU t D T
4

4G M M G
DT
fU t G
f fraction of flooding velocity
0.50 to 0.70
GM molar flow rate of gas 59
There is not a specific flood curve; a pressure
of 1.50 in H2O / ft is considered to represent an
incipient flooding condition, although pressure
drops at flooding have been measured in the
range of 2.0 to 2.5 inches H2O / ft.

An empirical equation for limiting pressure drops

is:
Pflood = 0.115 FP0.70 9 < FP < 60

P flood = pressure drop at flooding, inch H2O / ft of packing

60
PROBLEM 4
Air containing 5 mol % NH3 at a total flow rate of 40
lbmol/h, enters a packed column operating at 20oC and 1
atm, where 90% of the ammonia is scrubbed by a
countercurrent flow of 3,000 lb/h of water. Use GPDC to
estimate the superficial gas flooding velocity, the
column inside diameter for operation at 70% of flooding,
and the pressure drop per foot of packing for two
packing materials: (a) 1 ceramic Raschig rings (FP =
179 ft2/ft3) and (b) 1 metal IMTP packing (FP = 41 ft2/ft3).

61
PROBLEM 5
The capacity of a column is to be increased by 55%
by replacing the existing 1-in metal Raschig rings
with some other packing without significantly
changing the % flooding. The end compositions, L/G
ratio, pressure, temperature, etc., remain
unchanged. Select the packing.

62
 PROBLEM 6
A tower packed with 1-in ceramic Intalox saddles is
to be built to treat 25,000 ft3 or entering gas per hour.
The ammonia content of the entering gas is 2% by
volume. Ammonia-free water is used as absorbent.
The temperature is 68oF, and the pressure is 1 atm.
The ratio of gas flow to liquid flow is 1 lb of gas per
lb of liquid.
a) If the gas velocity is to be the flooding velocity,
what should be the diameter of the tower?
b) What is the pressure drop if the packed section is 20
ft high?

63
PROBLEM 7
Ammonia is being absorbed in a tower using pure water
at 25oC and 1 atm absolute pressure. The feed rate is
1440 lb/h and contains 3 mol % ammonia in air. The
process design specifies a liquid-to-gas mass flow rate
ratio L/G of 2/1 and the use of 1 metal Pall rings.
Calculate the pressure drop in the packing and gas
mass velocity at flooding. Using 50% of the flooding
velocity, calculate the pressure drop, gas and liquid
flows, and tower diameter.

64